Harry Potter And The Girl With A Hundred Faces
by sarista wow
Summary: 'On his first trip to Diagon Alley, Harry Potter is discovered by a certain would-be auror metamorphmagus, and Life will never be the same again.' This is a AU story, but the divergence actually takes place before the books themselves begin. Tonks will be her canon age. Rated M for possible language and fight scenes later in the story. Not a Harry/Tonks romance fic.
1. Chapter 1

_**Girl with a Hundred Faces**_

_**Chapter 1:**_

It was December 29th and the most recent meeting of the Order of the Phoenix was breaking up. Dumbledore had made his speeches and Moody his usual complaints, as well as the usual warnings to be vigilant and missions for them all.

Oh and there had been that reminder that the current Potter safe house was believed to be comprised. Oh, how Peter had jumped in worry even though his friends were right next to him when he heard that.

Still, although Dumbledore had offered to organise something, Sirius had stepped in and offered accommodation with a skilled Mediwitch nearby. James and Lily had apparently underestimated Sirius's planning skills, seeing as how Lily was now a few months pregnant and was being taken off the active register and being relegated to potion-brewing, something James knew rankled her beyond belief.

Then again, she had not taken this pregnancy in stride. While James had been overjoyed, Lily had raged about how inconvenient it was to get pregnant "RIGHT NOW!" and had almost forced him into a vow to deal with all the nappy changing, night time crying fits, and more or less anything else she could think of.

Just then, Sirius flounced over to them dramatically and announced his presence with his usual good manners, which was to say almost none. "Sirius," Lily responded happily, although in truth she was confused; at what point did Sirius get to know a trustworthy healer who would let them stay? The Order tended to not let everyone know about everyone else unless it was necessary; fewer chances of information leaks that way. "So glad to see you, sorry to rush, but who where you offering to put us up with and do they even know?"

Seeing as they had only just learned about their own home's danger, it was a little odd for Sirius to have planned ahead; then again, maybe being told he was the most likely to be their child's godfather had encouraged their friend to engage in some forward thinking.

"Ah, I thought you might ask that," he said, "it's with one of my favourite people in the world. I've been staying with her for months, a real family woman: my favourite cousin Andy!" Sirius exclaimed happily.

James seemed to be the only one besides Sirius, who understood who he was talking about. Her husband nodded happily; at least it was not some girl Sirius had just met, trying to impress her with his status as an emergency worker, a dangerous and even prestigious career in these times.

"And who is Andy?" Lily asked. She had never been introduced to a woman named Andy or even heard of her.

"Andy's short for Andromeda, Sirius's favourite cousin," James explained, apparently happy with the idea. "Mine as well now that I think of it" James added absent mindedly, before smirking at an offended Sirius.

"She's also the one who took me in for a year when I left home, her daughter's a metamorphmagus bit of a shock that, and her husband Ted's a riot if you slip him some Whisky!" Sirius exclaimed, still blessed with his ability to understate a problem.

After all, his moving out of home could have been more accurately described as screaming hexes at his brother, who had actually claimed to be a Death Eater, blowing the door off its hinges and running away. Of course she had never known who he'd stayed with during that time, as it had been fifth year and, well, she had not gotten to know him too well back then. Honestly, she'd just assumed he'd stayed with James, but apparently the Black family had more than one black sheep in the old flock.

"Why've you been staying with her, mate? I didn't know she and her husband were members," said James as they ambled over to the refreshments tables. Where Moody was suspiciously inspecting the sandwiches as though they might attack him at moment's notice; although, considering the Marauders' presence at the meeting that fear was not unfounded.

"They aren't but Andy is thinking about joining up and they've offered their home as a temporary healing station, but what with everything going south and Grimmauld place falling off the map, she figures it's better to get involved before it's too late." Sirius's voice had dropped upon mentioning his old home; it was no great secret that the Black family not only thought that Voldemort was right, but they were now opening up their home to on-the-run Death Eaters. At least that was what the information network had determined.

Not one to be kept down for long, Sirius flung himself back into the conversation, excitedly boasting about how good Ted's cooking was, how happy his cousin would be to help with brewing potions and the pregnancy overall. Oh, and did he mention the shape shifting daughter? He was rather happily hung up on that, already thinking of ways he could teach her to use it when she got to Hogwarts.

"Well, if she's alright with it I don't see a problem, but you will talk to her to her first won't you? James and I can hold up here for a few hours after the meeting," said Lily.

Sirius looked nervous for about half a second before letting out one of his deep laughs, clapping James on the shoulder affectionately and giving her a friendly and delicate pat on the shoulder. "Of course she will, but just to make sure I'll go check now; when I call you, have your best cloak ready, James! Padfoot shall lead the way!" Taking his cue, Sirius practically pranced out the door, towards the Floo port in the hallway.

James rather liked this idea personally. A Mediwitch on call, plenty of potions work so Lily wouldn't be so annoyed at missing out on the direct combat missions. And, of course, Sirius had recommended her; that was more than enough for him any day of the week. His smile became a trifle more forced as a nervous-looking Remus and Peter approached them; nervous was Peter's default state really, even more so since joining the Order.

This was partly, James knew, out of fear for himself, his friends, and even more so his mother. Peter was still terribly paranoid about something happening to her, despite just how unpleasant and demanding she could be. He remembered when one of their fellow Divination students had predicted Wormtail's mum dying horribly; it had left him in a nervous state for days. Well, nervous until they'd managed to prank the student, send off four owls with care packages to the woman and finally drag him down to Hogsmeade for a Butterbeer to calm his nerves.

Remus was an altogether different kettle of fish. The man didn't used to look so nervous and James's old paranoia about dark creatures being attracted to dark wizards was playing up. It was uncharitable but it was one of the reasons James had been pulling back from him a bit.

Of course, that hadn't been his original reason for pulling back; it was out of fear of hurting Remus when he'd announced Sirius as the future godfather. Sirius was his best friend and the one, who had stood by him the longest; that had been the only factor that influenced his decision.

But at the time he was afraid that Moony might not see it that way. The man was terrified both of being despised because of his condition, and because of his condition he was terrified of children, particularly of hurting them accidentally thanks to his "Furry Little Problem".

And Peter hadn't been chosen because, well, he would trust his life to Peter's hands but probably not his child's; after all, the way Wormtail shook sometimes he just might drop the kid.

Still, it was good to see them. Sirius would be returning in a moment and he was better equipped to answer Peter's concerned questions about whether or not where they would be staying was safe.  
**_**

_**End chapter 1**_

_Author Notes_

Well hello to any and all readers of this little prologue. This is my first attempt at actually posting anything I write on FF Net so this should be an interesting experience. I've used the prologue to demonstrate some of the more subtle changes I've made to the Harry Potter history, that should help explain the differences we encounter later in the story.  
This fic is going to be told form Harry and Tonks's perspective primarily, and I would like to stress that this is not a romance between them. I'd like to thank Chandagnac for being an amazing Beta reader and to anyone who hasn't I heartily recommend his stories. I would also like to thank Rorschach's Blot for comping up with the idea and giving me the thumbs up to try writing it myself.  
I should have a fairly decent update schedule with new chapter coming out once every one to two weeks, providing real life doesn't inconvenience me.  
So please read review, I'd love to hear some feedback.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

_**Introductions, in the alley**_

Harry was nervous. He'd just been taken, quite happily, from his relatives by a giant man, introduced to magic, almost swarmed by people in a pub, had an exciting and terrifying ride in a goblin cart and taken a bag of gold out of his family vault. Oh, and he'd found out he was a wizard and his parents had been magical, which was why he was here, outside Madam Malkin's, to shop for robes to wear during his first year at a new school where he'd learn Witchcraft and Wizardry.

He and Hagrid had first stopped by the pet store, where Hagrid had bought him his first ever birthday present: a beautiful white owl. He hadn't thought of what to name her yet, but he was sure he could think of something.

That was not why he was nervous, though Hagrid and his new owl had left him outside the store; where he had just been accosted by a blonde boy accompanied by a very tall and pretty blond woman, probably his mother.

Hagrid had left him outside saying he needed a "pick me up" after their ride in the Goblin carts, and so had stalked off to the Leaky Cauldron, a pub where Harry had been swarmed by admirers.

Harry, having never been in such a situation, was a little at a loss and a bundle of nerves. Then, a finger lightly tapped him on the shoulder, startling Harry out of his thoughts, just as he'd been building up the courage to walk into the store.

Behind him was a tall girl, or woman; he wasn't sure when someone stopped being one and became the other. She had shoulder length blue hair –that the Dursleys would have hated and a purple-and a black striped shirt, with a black vest, grey pants and large leather boots covered in straps, she was smiling down at him in what he assumed was a friendly manner. He hadn't ever received many friendly looks, so he was really just guessing.

"Wotcher! Going in to get fitted for school robes? Don't worry, Madam Malkin and the rest are a lovely lot; I'm getting refitted myself." She seemed friendly but something in her tone seemed wrong, like there was something she wanted to say but something held her back. The fact that she had looked around for something at least twice since speaking to him was strange. Still, she seemed nice and had opened the door for him, so he followed her into the robes shop.

"Hey, shouldn't Professor McGonagall be chaperoning you if this is your first time?"

"Professor McGonagall?" Was that who the girl had been looking for? His chaperone was Hagrid; was it supposed to be someone else?

"Yeah, she teaches Transfiguration at Hogwarts and is usually in charge of showing Muggleborn children and orphans their way around Diagon Alley. I still remember when she took me, though I don't think she'd ever want to do it again!" she grinned enthusiastically as they were guided over to two stands.

The shop staff had apparently decided they should stand together to get measured for their robes. He heard the women measuring the girl, tutting at her about using too much magic on her clothes.

Harry hastened to explain: "well, my parents were a witch and a wizard, but I've… been living with my mum's family they don't have magic. Then, last night, Hagrid came and took me to stay at the Leaky Cauldron so we could shop for school supplies."

Still smiling encouragingly, she responded, as her hair changed colour from blue to blonde. Well, he certainly hadn't seen anyone else's hair do that yet! "Don't feel too nervous. Hogwarts is an easy enough place to live. It'll be a great seven years, though if you spot me in the halls and need help feel free to ask."

He smiled shyly at her. "Thank you."

"No probs. Heard about Quidditch yet?'

When he shook his head in bewilderment, the older girl launched into a brief summary of what sounded like a fantastic and dangerous game. "It's a shame first years can't get brooms or try out for the team, so if you're interested you gotta wait for second year."

He wasn't even sure if he was going to get to go for his first year. Hagrid had said so, and seemed to have cowed even Uncle Vernon, but unless the giant turned up to take him for his first day or whatever system they used to get to the school, Harry doubted his chances. He'd have to ask Hagrid.

When the tailor's jobs were done, the woman walked him over to the counter, where Hagrid was handing over a fistful of Galleons.

"Hah, that you Tonks?!"

"Hagrid, how's summer been treating you?" the women apparently named Tonks replied airily, as she handed over a slip of paper in lieu of Galleons.

"You two know each other?"

"Ha! Feel like I spent the last six years chasing her off from the forbidden forest!" Hagrid said jovially, as all three of them walked out of Madam Malkin's. Hagrid was carrying Harry's new robes. Just as they left the store, Tonks tripped, almost ending up falling on her face; and she would have if not for Hagrid grabbing her arm just in time.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked as her hair changed again.

"Bah, don't fret. I've always been a bit of a klutz." She looked at him for a moment before smiling again. "Well, where are my manners? The name's Tonks. I only go by my last name because my first one is too, too horrible!" Stopping her melodramatic proclamation, she leaned down to be at eye level with him and reached out her pale hand with a friendly smile.

He shook her hand, trying not to paw at it. "I'm Harry Potter," he said.

A stunned look passed over her face. "I can't believe it! Little Harry, it's been ages since I last saw you!" Tonks exclaimed.

"We've, met before?" asked Harry uncertainly.

"Have we met? Aah I suppose you were a bit young to remember your old cousin Tonks, but you and your parents lived with my family for almost a year during the war. You were born under my family's roof. I babysat you for a few nights." She actually reached around and hugged him; this was twice now in two days!

"Where have you been? Last time I tried sending you a birthday card it came back with 'address unfound'," she said.

Before she could continue, Hagrid intervened: "that's cos his home was being protected by charms to stop, You Know Who's followers coming after him."

None of this exactly made sense to Harry who was still in a mild state of shock. He had a living cousin, a relative who actually seemed happy to see him; he looked between Tonks and Hagrid for a moment before he spoke. "Do you mean It, I didn't know I had cousins besides the… Dursleys."

"They're from my mum's side of the family" Harry added, almost as an afterthought; he didn't like thinking of Aunt Petunia being anything like the mother imagined in his head, in his lonely moments in the cupboard.

"Look here, I knew the Potters stayed with yer family in the war but I didn't know James was related to anyone!" Hagrid said while motioning for both of them to follow him, in what appeared to be the general direction of an ice cream parlour.

"Sure! His family and the Black family, which was my mum's family name before she married my dad, were really close for a few generations. Makes Harry and I second or third cousins, hell I think I'm probably the closest Wizarding relative he has left!" Tonks voice had held a hint of sadness that Harry almost missed, except that he heard her voice hitch on the word 'dad'.

Harry suddenly beamed. "That's so neat! I never thought I had any relatives besides the Dursleys!" Harry exclaimed more loudly than he intended to. But it was just such a shock: an actual relative who didn't look at him like he was the dirt they wiped off their shoes.

"Come along, you two can catch up at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour. I could use a snack. I say: what do you two want?"

Tonks shook her head. "I can't ask you to pay my way, Hagrid. I'm not hungry anyway. Had fish and chips before heading to the shop, but I'll come along." She finished this with an affectionate pat on Harry's shoulder.

"Um I think I'll have a mint ice cream if that's alright?"

"Is it alright? Course it is Harry. I'll be back in a mo. Catch us somewhere to sit, would you?' he asked, strolling happily into the store, except for some difficulty with the small door.

Harry and Tonks sat themselves down at a table off to the left side of the door, allowing them to look out onto the street, but still somewhat private.

'So," he said, feeling awkward. "If we're cousins and my parents stayed with you for so long, you must have known them pretty well. I mean-"

Tonks offered him what he thought was a sympathetic smile. He'd never really received one of those before, except from the school nurse on one or two occasions when Dudley and his thugs went too far and left him with more than a bruise.

"Yeah, your parents stayed with us for months. Like I said, back in the war, everyone fighting needed a safe house and the Tonks family home was a good choice. Your mum worked on a lot of potions for the people who were fighting on the front line; that was when she herself wasn't going out fighting!"

Tonks tone became wistful. "She was a very kind woman, smart too, and brave as anything. She was really wonderful, especially when my mum died". Tonks looked down for a moment and Harry felt the need to apologise, but before he could get the words out she spoke again in a more jovial tone: 'And your dad was hilarious! An absolute riot with some of the stories he told! Besides that, it was easy to see, even for a seven year old me, how much they adored you." She finished with a smile as Hagrid returned with the promised treat and sat himself down, eliciting a horrid squeak from his chair.

As Hagrid took his seat, Tonks was feeling distinctly awkward. Of course, she was fairly used to that and covered it up seamlessly, at least from a nice guy like Hagrid and a shy eleven year old. Speaking of which, she was currently suffering from shock. Really! First she'd mistaken Harry Potter, the "Boy who Lived", for some regular kid; how did she miss the scar?! Then she'd found out that it was Hagrid not Professor McGonagall giving the tour. Now, Tonks was never going to say horrible things about Hagrid, but she was not about to claim that he was the best person to give a tour of the Wizarding world and to Harry Potter of all people.

Wasn't the whole reason he had disappeared to hide from vengeful Death Eaters or something? That's what Professor Sprout said when she asked why that Birthday card got turned around and Hagrid had confirmed that.

Oh, and, of course, she had found her long-lost cousin who she had never been quite able to reconcile with "The Boy Who Lived" and also found out he had been living with Muggles and knew almost nothing about the Wizarding world and that he was tiny, shy and completely ignorant about his own parents. Hadn't he said he was staying with his aunt or something? Shouldn't they have been the ones telling him about them? Or had they been Obliviated of all knowledge regarding magic? Though even that did not explain the clothes that were obviously three or more sizes too large.

Still, this was good; Harry was happy about his parents, judging by his beaming face. Or maybe that was just the ice cream. Tonks had been a little worried that he might somehow be offended that someone who was more or less a complete stranger had come up to him and started talking about his parents, but that fear was unfounded. "So, Harry, how far have you got into your shopping trip?" she asked.

Before Harry could respond, Hagrid said, "hah we barely got started yet, only started this morning. Madam Malkin's was the first stop after Gringotts, of course."

"Mind if I tag along? I've still got to pick up some of my school things anyway." Apparently, it was perfectly alright, what with Harry beaming up at her like that. Merlin's beard! He looked so tiny!

"Come along then! We have lots of shopping to do and only a day to do it in!"

Getting up from their places at the ice creamery the trio set off for the closest store for school supplies which, as it turned out, was Flourish and Blott's.

Before they made it into the store Harry's curiosity had overwhelmed him and he'd finally asked why Tonks's hair changed colour the way it did. Harry desperately hoped it wasn't some stupid question that anyone could answer; he didn't want to feel ignorant.

"Heh, I was wondering when you'd ask. I'm a metamorphmagus. Basically, it means I can change my appearance to whatever I want, whenever I want, providing it's still relatively, human in shape. Sadly, it's not a skill that can be learned. It's a talent I was born with."

"Cool! I wish I could change how I looked." Then he might never have to back to the Dursleys, or he could turn into Hagrid and scare them into leaving him alone. Or at least pretend he wasn't himself then Dudley wouldn't attack him and the neighbourhood wouldn't look at him the way they did.

"It's damned useful, it is, though you used to cause plenty a mischief in your first few years," Hagrid said good-naturedly, as they entered the book store.

"Yep. Guilty as charged!"

"Look here, I'll go to the front desk and get your books. They always keep the Hogwarts packages in a bundle in the back. You look around see if there's anything you need, okay, Harry?"

"Sure, thank you, Hagrid." Good manners had been drilled into him by the Dursleys. He just tried to use them as little as possible in their presence.

"Come on, Hogwarts books are all well and good, but this place has some great books, on practically anything you could want," Tonks added helpfully, as they wandered over to the Jinxes sections of the book shop. She paused and began to look over the books on the top shelf; if he wasn't mistaken, Harry was sure Tonks had actually grown a little just to see the top shelf more easily.

"Is there anything that would teach me how to hex Dudley?" asked Harry hopefully, biting his tongue upon realising how that would sound.

Luckily, Tonks seemed more amused by this than anything. "Who's that, then?"

"He's my cousin: a spoilt, fat bully." He wished he hadn't brought it up. There were far better things to talk about than the Dursleys after all, and he didn't want to seem pathetic.

"People like that are terribly annoying,' Tonks said. 'Sadly we're not allowed to use magic outside Hogwarts until we're seventeen; even then, not in front of Muggles unless they're listed as magically aware."

She paused, shrugged, and said, "Still, if you're looking for a good book on how to get back at people I would have to recommend."

Reaching down to one of the lower shelves, Tonks plucked out a wide Hardback book entitled '40 different Jinxes, to protect your privacy!'

"Jinxes are an absolute riot when used right. They're usually pretty harmless but entertaining. Leave someone you don't like glowing so bright they can't sleep, or make their hair grow so long they tie themselves up in it, if they mess with your stuff."

She chuckled good-naturedly. "This book's also good because it has very clear instructions; good for anyone new to magic, and there's not too much boring history on who invented the spell or why. Ah, it made some of my first years at Hogwarts hilarious. Still does, in fact." Tonks said winking at him.

Tonks passed him the book and began rummaging around in her numerous pockets. She felt around for a moment, before pulling out what looked like a cheque book. "Figure I owe you a few birthday presents. You want that? Or maybe something on duelling, or Quidditch?"

"Er, thank you, but you really don't have to. I mean, I don't…"

Two birthday present in one day! Harry somehow felt as if he had no right to accept this level of kindness. But he did want presents, and anything to make school easier; he got the feeling he would sink to the bottom of the class as it was. Resolving himself, he looked up at Tonks who was giving him a strange, worried sort of look. "Thank you. I would really like it."

"Good! Come on, Hagrid's got your books. I'll go ring this one up. Trust me, there's some hilarious stuff you can do with this book."

And the rest of the day followed much the same pattern: going from shop to shop with Tonks and Hagrid, although he was a little put out by their combined refusal to let him get a gold Cauldron. They said, "It says pewter on your list" and "There are only a dozen or so potions that need a gold cauldron anyway and first years certainly don't get to make them."

He and Tonks looked around the apothecary, though Tonks seemed nervous until they left, confessing that, as interesting as it was, she was "this close" to a lifetime ban after tripping and almost causing an explosion.

Harry was happy, when at the Stationary shop; Tonks also added self-inking Dictation quills to his list, noting that, even if they were expensive, they were worth every Knut, especially in the boring classes. "So you can nap," she whispered conspiratorially; he couldn't help but laugh.

And finally, they arrived at Ollivander's Wand shop. He'd been looking forward to this ever since hearing about it. However, Tonks's opinion of the man had dampened his spirits somewhat. "He's annoying, rude and completely _strange_. He's memorised every person who's ever been in his shop, their wands as well. Last time I went in there for a Servicing Kit he actually snatched it from me to see if I was taking proper care of it." She'd then drifted off into her own thought just as they entered the Store proper.

"Ah, Rubeus, there you are, How nice to see you." Despite the man's words, his tone was dry and listless. "Oak, sixteen inches, rather bendy, wasn't it? Heard the Ministry snapped it. Such a shame," he said to a distinctively uncomfortable-looking Hagrid.

"They did. Still got the pieces though," he said sadly

"But you don't use them, do you?" Mr Ollivanders tone was biting.

"Oh no! Certainly not!"

Ollivander eyed Hagrid suspiciously for a moment before his eyes drifted over to Tonks. "Ah, Miss Nymphadora Tonks," he said, ignoring how spiky and red Tonks's hair became at the mention of what Harry had to guess, was her given name.

"13 inches, Walnut, dragon heartstring from a Chinese fireball, not terribly well taken care of the last time I saw, and almost identical to your-"

Whatever he was about to say was cut off by Tonks letting out a hiss and pulling her wand out of the solid leather holster hanging from her hip. Tonks handed it over to Ollivander who seemed a little stunned at being interrupted. Then, he began looking over the wand; it was a dark brown piece of wood, slightly curved at one end, with delicate silvery patterns traced into the handle; he frowned and made a few tutting sounds.

"Much better taken care of than the last time I saw it," he said at last. "Good to see you're treating it right. Very good for duelling and flamboyant spells, unyielding, but you seem to have it under control: it should suit you well."

Harry was fairly certain he did not like Mr Ollivander who, within minutes, had made Hagrid sad, and then insulted and offended Tonks. She now snatched her wand back and went over to look at some sort of display on the wall, delicately sliding her wand back into its holster.

Finally, Mr Ollivander's eyes fell upon Harry himself and he desperately wished those strange, piercing eyes would just look somewhere else.

"Ah, Mr Potter, yes, I expected to see you, sometime soon. Your parents both had excellent wands…"

He froze for a moment and looked at both Hagrid who still looked misty eyed and Tonks; who was studiously ignoring everything in the room except for the wall. He looked desperately like he wanted to say something, but had thought better of it, after awkwardly and suddenly measuring him, something Tonks snapped at him for because he had "Shocked the poor kid!" Mr Ollivander pulled out a wand, seemingly at random, from one of the shelves on the wall.

"This wand is very much like your father's. Let's see if it you inherited more from him than your looks. Should be very good at transfiguration, too," he added.

"Well, go on; give it a wave, that's how you test if a wand is right for you. Otherwise, when you cast a spell, it gets all funny!" Tonks said quickly. She was looking over at Harry fondly; his nerves seemed to get themselves back under control when he heard her friendly reassurance.

Trusting his instincts, Harry pulled the wand back and swung causing faint red sparks to fly from the wand for a few seconds before Ollivander snatched it out of his hand.

"No, no, definitely not right for you, at all!"

"Don't worry, it usually takes a few tries before you get your match," Hagrid said happily, while looking over the wand shop wistfully. Tonks was still giving him an encouraging smile. She walked past and patted him on the shoulder.

There were three more false tries before Mr Ollivander began acting even stranger, pulling up a dust covered wand from the back of his shelves. "I wonder… perhaps, there'd be interesting symmetry to it, at least."

Ollivander pulled the wand from its case and passed it to Harry. He gave it a wave and saw a shower of gold and red sparks fly from the wand. Hagrid and Tonks clapped happily as Ollivander gently took the wand from him and began wrapping it in brown paper. "11 inches long, made of holly, with a phoenix feather core: a unique combination; Very, very curious."

"Excuse me, sir, but what's curious?"

"I remember every wand I ever sold, Mr Potter, and the last person to hold a wand identical to this one was He Who Must Not Be Named," Ollivander said gravely. "How very interesting that the two of you would have the same wand core, very-"

"Oh, stop with the dramatics Ollivander! Lots of people have wand cores that are alike or even identical!" Tonks half bellowed form her position at the wall still rummaging amongst the various items.

"The very same phoenix who gave its feather for the wand that was chosen by He Who Must Not Be Named also gave its next feather for this one. They are brother wands. Still, He Who Must Not Be Named did great things..."

A hiss escaped both Tonks and Hagrid "Terrible but great," Ollivander said. "I think we can expect much from you, Mister Potter."

Harry was looking dispassionately at his new wand when one of Hagrid's large hands clapped him affectionately on the shoulder, almost causing him to topple over. "Bah, don't mean a thing, not really."

Before anyone else could say anything, Tonks appeared at the cash register, placing something down. "You said eleven inches, right?'

"Yes?"

"Here, ring this up as well," Tonks said tersely, before handing over another cheque.

"What are you doing? I'm paying for the wand!" Hagrid interrupted.

"Fine, fine, but I'm paying for this," Tonks replied, taking something from Ollivander's hand and walking over to Harry.

"Here you go, Harry."

Taking his hand gently in hers, Tonks gave him a small black holster. "It's a wand holster. Most don't think you need one, but otherwise you have to keep it in your pockets or your sleeves, and it's too easy to lose to them, I should know," she said, happily oblivious to Ollivanders grunt of annoyance at her apparent disrespect for his works.

"But, I can't-"

His weak protest was waved away. "Relax a little, Harry. I already missed all your birthdays up to this point. Buying you a present for Hogwarts is just the sort of thing family should do."

She added the last part almost wistfully as Hagrid came over smiling proudly down at him. Tonks walked beside him as they walked out of Mr Ollivander's shop.

He had never felt so good in his life.

_**End Chapter 2**_

_ Author Notes_

All right, well I hope everyone enjoyed this new chapter.

This chapter more accurately represents the size of future instalments. It also more or less shows the level of coverage the characters are likely to get as it stands this fic will focus more or less equally of Harry and Tonks, at least for first year.

I'd like to again thank Chandagnac for bete reading, this and all the ensuing chapters.

I hope everyone enjoyed reading this chapter, and if you'd like to say so or offer some critique's please review and I'll try to get back to you.

The next update will be in a seven to eight days.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter three**_

_**Letters and Travellers **_

Harry's visit to Diagon Alley was sadly ending, it had easily been the greatest day of his life, even if Mr Ollivander was rude and strange. But the day was drawing to a close and he was admittedly tired from all the walking, even with Hagrid pulling his trunk, which they had packed everything except his new owl into.

He was also disappointed that his only cousin, besides Dudley would be leaving them after they snuck out of the Leaky Cauldron, to avoid another scene. They would be walking by the apartment building she lived in, but she had said he could write to her whenever he wanted "Seeing as I don't have much to do in the place, sides studying anyway".

As they walked past the fourth building down the Leaky Cauldron, Harry was struck with the same odd feeling that he had gotten from looking at the pub. He did not know that on this building there where Muggle repelling charms that made the entire building practically non-existent in the eyes of the average man or women.

Looking up at the building for a moment Tonks spoke "Here's my stop" looking down at him and his owl Tonks offered a warm smile particularly as she noticed the owl awake and observing the building in front of her. "See that miss snowy owl, if Harry wants to send me a letter you bring it here alright" she said before looking him over. "It was really great to finally see you again Harry, if you have anything you need or questions feel free to write me I'll keep a look out for you at the station and school All right" she finished with a friendly clap on his shoulder.

"Yes I understand listen thank you both of you I just… this has been the best day I ever had." Before he could get another word out Harry once reacquainted with the feeling of someone hugging him as Tonks fondly placed her arms around him and placed her head on top of his shoulder.

"Hey don't act like this is goodbye, I expect a letter soon young man. Just so you know this has been great for me as well, a part of me was convinced I'd never see you again."

Without thinking Harry spontaneously wrapped his tiny arms around the older girls and buried his face in her shoulder 'I don't want this to end!' But soon enough it did.

Tonks gave him a light pat on the arm and said "I'll see you at the train or hey maybe sooner, write me and we'll see if we can work something out alright?"

She ended that statement with a wink and waited on the steps waving them off as he continued to walk down the street with Hagrid looking back and waving every chance he got.

* * *

'_Well that was certainly an odd day, good though_' Tonks thought as she entered the apartment having lost sight of Harry, her mind swimming with thoughts she could barely distinguish between memories and abstract ideas, almost dreams really.

Closing the door behind her Tonks surveyed her Studio apartment, bed in the corner, the tiny kitchenette and a comfy second-hand chair with a table in the center, both covered in stains. Besides that the apartment was strewn with books paper and clothes overall, a sty. Only living there once every two months tended to leave one with few personal possessions which was fine she needed every sickle saved for school supplies and her livelihood.

'_In the end I didn't buy anything for myself, that's fine though Harry looked happy, really small though'_ Mad eye's voice came to mind screaming "constant vigilance!" It was probably not the sort of thing he had intended for her to look out for, but it wasn't hard for someone who was… '_A the term was on the "Dole" or something like that_', it wasn't hard to deduce that something was off, what though she couldn't guess.

Moody's presence in her life had been a surprise to no one more than her, well presence was a strong word what do you call a man who pops up into you're apartment once a year to look over your school work or prank you to test vigilance! The question of why had never been answered either, Tonks assumed it had something to do with her mother, probably saved Moody and he felt guilty or just some sense of responsibility.

At least once he found out anyway, not that it mattered, She tended to forget he existed until the end of the year or just before school started, so regardless of his intent he was never much of a comfort.

Not like seeing long lost family again anyway, with that Tonks rolled off her bed and went to eat an early dinner, alone.

* * *

It had been a long two weeks for Harry, ever since he had been taken from his relatives by Hagrid to Diagon Alley and been introduced to a world where he belonged, a world where people liked him and where he had actual family who didn't look at him like he was something to be scraped off their shoes.

Of course he had not had to deal with that much, since his trip Dudley fled the room whenever he was around and his aunt and uncle barely acknowledged his existence. It was a nice change; they hadn't even given him chores yet. And he had been able to stay in Dudley's second bedroom with all his wizard things!

So even if they weren't happy with him and even if having no one to talk too was a little depressing, he'd labelled this his best summer ever. All of this was helped with the fact he was exchanging owl mail -thanks to his newly named owl Hedwig- with Tonks, he couldn't really spell her first name which as just as well seeing as she didn't like it anyway.

Regardless ever since his second day back he'd been sending Hedwig off with mail, at first he was worried about irritating her but the mail he received from Tonks was always friendly, she seemed to enjoy the letters as much as him even.

The Dursleys didn't like it, he knew that much but they were to nervous and angry to do anything about it, though he was "asked" to send Hedwig off at night "So the neighbours won't see your wrongness!" As Uncle Vernon had put it on the first day, still too nervous to completely barricade something from him but too proud to let his control go completely.

'_Owls sleep in the day anyway_' Harry thought.

Having never talked to anyone much he wasn't really sure what to write, so he's settled for some questions first –it was all good practice with his quills anyway,- she'd said that he'd only get away with dictation quills in a few of his classes-

So he asked things, like what was Hogwarts like though after Hagrid had mentioned Houses Harry didn't mention his own fears of ending up with the "Duffers" or the "Dark and nasty lot" in Slytherin. Harry had never thought himself nasty even if the Dursleys kept telling him how horrible he was. But his wand was the same as… Voldemorts and Mr Ollivander as rude as he was seemed to think that meant something even if Tonks and Hagrid dismissed it.

Still whenever he got a letter talking about all the amazing things in Wizarding world like the village of Hogsmede, the boat ride for first years. And even better the moving picture his cousin had sent him there was only one at the moment but it was more than he had ever had before. Tonks had known his parent's she'd been a child yes, but she'd still known them and had actually sent him a picture that showed both their families together.

Somehow it just looked right seeing all of them together like that, his parents; he'd never seen a picture of them before, he'd always been told they were drunks. He knew that was a lie he'd always thought so but now he had proof, they were honorary Aurors the best of Wizarding police, and they'd protected people from Voldemort.

He could see them there in the picture his mother a soft proud smile on her face as she held a baby him in her arms, long red hair, how could someone who looked so nice be related to Aunt Petunia!? And then there was his father tall messy hair, glasses squarer than Harry's own, a cheeky smile on his face as he batted his cousin's hand away from his ear while valiantly attempting to set of some sort of cracker.

And there where Tonks parents, they were very different from Harry's own, her father was a somewhat large and jolly looking man, holding a tiny wriggling Tonks with green hair up in front of him. Her mother was taller than anyone in the room dark haired and seemed very important somehow just the way she stood, he supposed. It was offset though by the fact her hand had reached behind around his mothers who looked nothing like aunt petunia, and was pulling on his father's ear after he had been holding up bunny ears behind her.

The flutter of wings was heard and Harry pried himself away from the picture of his family; a family that wasn't the Dursleys he thought with some glee, even if there were only two of them left it was more than he'd ever had before.

Hedwig preened happily as he petted her soft feathers and placed the most recent letter on his bed before reaching over to his desk and allowed his owl a small snack for her efforts. The letters were usually two days apart though Hedwig was getting faster and faster.

Most of the letters discussed little things he felt he could ask her things about books, Hogwarts Diagon Alley and a little about herself he wanted to know her better what classes did she like what house was she in, where there clubs at Hogwarts and if so was she a member of any, so far she'd only answered some of these questions…

Opening the most recent letter he read:

_Dear, Harry_

_In response to your last letter I'm fine except for my potions assignment, which has so far turned into a living blob and tried to eat me, (It failed) exploded much to my Chagrin and started laughing at me… the last one might have been my imagination. But I've been told to show constant vigilance! I've been forced to waste a lot of money on this thing, luckily I won a bet with a fellow student yesterday so he had to buy me a new set of ingredient and a new cauldron, figure I'll melt this one eventually. _

_But besides that I'm fine how are you? That other cousin of yours not causing you trouble I hope, otherwise I may have to show of one of my scary faces! _

This was not the first time she had asked about the Dursleys, though to be honest he mostly just said they weren't happy with him and Dudley refused to be around him and that they did not want him to go to Hogwarts (He hadn't mentioned them burning the letters because why upset her?)

Afterwards she had sent back a response offering her sympathies and some candy he'd felt the need to explain that this was actually an improvement. Harry was honestly glad Tonks hadn't asked for clarification, he didn't want to talk about the Dursleys more than he needed to. Though her lack of question may have been because he also supplied a barrage of questions about the Forbidden forest she had been chased from by Hagrid. Though that had been one or two letter ago.

_Now I should tell you about those underage magic laws shouldn't I? Basically when you receive your wand it has a time activated spell on it called -the trace- this spell alerts the authorities at the underage use of magic, or Improper Use of Magic Department, yo you using magic outside of school. once that humorless bunch are alerted they figure out, who saw i.e magically aware Muggle's like the ones you live with or if it was somewhere with no one around, or if Muggles who don't know about magic are present and capable of witnessing or feeling the effect of this magic. _

_Luckily for you the trace doesn't activate until you leave Hogwarts the first time so feel free to practice, your house is probably being watched but as long as you're alone and no one see they won't punish you. That is after all one of the reasons I got you that Jinx book it's also got some pretty harmless spells in there like say a door locking Jinx that means the door won't unlock until you or someone else perform the counter jinx, (that's also in the book). _

Maybe he could use that to keep the Dursleys out of his new room if he went out? Harry had been locked away in Dudley's second bedroom since returning mostly because he was worried they might give it back to Dudley and shove him back in the cupboard. 'Maybe I can go back to the alley or see Tonks, or would that be a bother…' it'd be nice to get out and not be worried about his things regardless, 'after I write back I'll look for that spell in the book.'

_Besides Potions I have done little, some school friends invited me to visit a Muggle arcade centre which I almost got a life time ban from last time I was there, but that doesn't mean much when I can change my face! Though Lucas Thenik couldn't make it which is a shame I don't know him that well but I know last time he was dragged there he tried to blow up a game that teased him when he lost, (He's from an old family, Old magical families usually don't know much about Muggles). _She had added in a hasty scribble.

_Regardless my ickle little cousin that is all I have room to write I did well on the shooting games and avoiding those weird dancing games for all I'm worth, the others did well and came out with lots of toys. I thought about trying to win you won but they wanted to try animating them so by now there all dust or ashes, alas, the others pretty much live there when they aren't studying. Thought you might be a little old for stuffed toys anyway if not I'll try next time I'm there._

_Signed Cousin N, Tonks _

_Write back soon! _

A part of Harry -and not a small part- simply wanted to hug the letter or Hedwig or Tonks or Hagrid he'd never felt like this before like someone cared about him. It was a shame the letter's where so short but his writing wasn't terribly good and he was new to this whole talking or writing to people thing, seeing as Dudley and his cronies had made it impossible for anyone to get near him, not that they'd ever wanted too anyway.

It would take a while to figure out what to say he didn't really understand all that much about the magical world or even his cousin, heck he didn't even really understand himself all that much or his new place in the world, all he knew was it was much better than the old one.

'Maybe Tonks can take me to Diagon she explained the train and even said she'd come get me,' Harry didn't yet have the confidence to write anything back so instead he busied himself thinking of what he could write back but might not.

It felt good to know that somewhere there where people that cared about him.

* * *

'_Gaunt_' the name was ringing in the man's head he knew the name it had been somewhere in his old home which was now burned to cinders, 'no great loss there' but it wouldn't have hurt to be able to look up one of those family trees, see if that's where he knew the name from.

Mongolia as it turned out had been a complete waste of his time especially that cavity search, bloody sadists all over the world, no one appreciated the sacrifices he made. Still the only useful part of the trip had been meeting the Quirrel bloke he'd been nice enough and either hadn't seen through the glamour's -possible-. Though admittedly, glamour's never had been a strong point at school. Or the man simply hadn't cared, for all the he knew Quirrel had gone to the nearest town the next day or Apparated back home and it was in all the papers.

Good to know who Harry's teacher would be regardless and the man seemed nice enough pretty decent at magic so that was something. He did desperately want to check back in on the kid but he'd almost been caught last time and considering the kid's age he was probably under even closer watch. Maybe someone noticed what pigs the Dursleys were and moved him.

He had -_visited_- and left a _deep impression_ on them all, particularly that troll Dursleys and his swinging arm. Though he hadn't been nice to their Pig of a son who he hoped was still terrified of dogs, oh and the Horse faced sister of Lilies tearing apart her wardrobe had been fun and a little childish, but most importantly fun.

He had admittedly considered just taking Harry but what could a dog and a criminal offer a boy, Dumbledore had shown up anyway surely he wouldn't let all this continue.

Besides unlike a lot of people he was aware of exactly why Dumbledore had sent the Potters into hiding. Sadly for Dumbledore he'd only taken Divination because he wanted an easy O, much like everyone else. oh the old teacher had blathered about not touching Saturn because it was hot but really it all came down to faking visions and other rubbish so he'd just drunk firewhisky before going and let his genius flow… well something had flowed he wasn't really sure what, anymore.

Still, he knew some about this "Prophecy" and thought it was rubbish… mostly, still if he could deal with it all before Harry even knew about it, well that would make up for all the missed presents and if he caught the traitor his other main goal in life, then he could fix everything well almost everything. Tonks would probably still hate him and it was still his fault that the traitor had gotten the bloody chance to screw them all over and that wouldn't change no matter what he did.

Brushing off those thoughts he returned to the matter at hand Voldemort and or the traitor, were not here so he'd need to Apparate somewhere not back to Britain if he was seen there would be trouble. Bulgaria seemed like a good stop if he found Durmstrang he could probably terrify that Karka something fellow in to spilling anything he knew. Which probably wasn't much but Kreacher had turned up nothing useful though that may be because of spite, and his leads here had dried up.

With that Sirius Black finished his beer, lifted up his travelling (bag) because it was not a purse he'd mistaken for a bloody bag no matter what that stupid git outside the store said. And he Port Keyed to Bulgaria, (landing in the freezing lake had all been a part of the plan). More importantly he had a family name to track and a phylactery to find before it was too late!

If it wasn't already….

"Merlin's Nipples its bloody cold here!"

* * *

Miles away in a shack with a snake nailed to the door, there stood a nervous man who was obeying the infernal whispers that had been following him across the world. 'Now that you are done, you must return us to Diagon and continue your investigation of Gringotts!' The voice was powerful but horse and cracked it enters his mind as a whisper as though nothing else existed in the world between them both.

A small voice still cried out how this was wrong, people would be hurt but whenever it grew loud enough to be noticed, agony split throughout his mind and body, such that he had never imagined before in his life.

"Yes" Said a quiet weak voice, and if an Auror had been present they may have picked up the tell-tale signs of enchantment evident on the young man, but he was alone all but the voice and the newly cursed ring. "M, my Master" With that he vanished with a pop.

Tonks lay back on her bed Professor Snapes assignment had finally begun acting like it was meant to and needed to stand for thirty two minutes "_exactly_" or something terrible was sure to happen. She was the lowest scoring student in his NEWTS class, but she'd still made it which was more than many others could say, though unless she hid behind a Slytherin, Snape would probably try to bully her out of the class like he did practically every other student.

'The man's perfect school would be one with no students.' A mischievous side of her remembered that pranks she played on him in over the years, oh he knew she'd done it but couldn't prove it; he'd deserved it anyway saying things like that! 'Bah why am I thinking about that git at a time like this or school at all, time to check the mail.'

Holding her hand flat in front of herself she concentrated and spoke firmly "accio" with that the glowing rune at the bottom of her mail box responder to her call and allowed the spell passage from top to bottom removing near instantly everything above it, which in this case was nothing.

Leaving the letter to Harry aside, she lost herself in thought once the potions assignment was done that was it for summer homework. 'It'll start bubbling soon I'll needs to add the essence of din.'

'This is going to be a long night' 'maybe I'll invite Harry to visit the alley or the arcade or something'.

'It'd break up the tedium at least.'

_**End Chapter 3**_

_Author Notes _

Sorry to anyone who felt this chapter was a bit slow, I actually agree but it was needed to help establish a few of the changes that exist in this world and to give us a proper setting for a time skip, the next few chapter will be far more energetic.

I know some people might be concerned about Harry, as it stand he's still coming from an abusive home and being placed in a world completely foreign to him. So it'll be little while before he's particularly open but he'll get more open, active and talkative in the next few chapters.

Again I would like to thank Chandagnac for his incredibly helpful beta reading and I'd just like to thank everyone who has taken the time to read, review and favourite or follow this fic, it's really encouraging.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter four**_

_**Family Relations**_

Harry had received a letter last night and he'd been walking on air since. He tried not to let it show, otherwise Uncle Vernon would get annoyed. Last night, he got a letter from Tonks! And not just any letter, she had offered to take him to Diagon Alley today or just "around London" to do whatever he wanted. It was such a novel concept that Harry hadn't known quite how to react.

Apparently all of Tonks's summer homework was done early, "more or less", and so she felt it would be a good chance for them to get to know each other, if he didn't mind. Well, of course he didn't mind! It had taken every ounce of willpower he had not to write back immediately. He had to find just the right way to break this to the Dursleys so they wouldn't get angry. It was becoming more and more obvious that the longer he was here the closer Vernon was to snapping.

"It's done, sir," Harry said, after they'd had breakfast and he'd finished the washing up.

Uncle Vernon grunted and then, for the first time in almost three weeks, he actually spoke "good to see you doing something to make up for your taking up space here."

His tone had started out even, but got more frantic and irritable as he went on.

"Sir," Harry said in what he hoped was a meek and submissive voice.

Uncle Vernon grunted again, and said nothing more. His face was still buried in the paper.

"If you want me out of the house for a while I could leave early in the morning," Harry said. "I won't come back until late, so no one will see."

"Where did this come from?" Vernon asked suspiciously.

"An older student offered to show me around… if I don't do well they might send me back and you'll have to pay for me to go to Stonewall, sir."

Harry hoped that combining Uncle Vernon's hatred of spending money and his obvious desire to see as little of him as possible would work in his favour.

"I'm surprised anyone wants to spend time with a runt like you" said Vernon, but his tone was more relaxed than it had been earlier. "She the one you're sending those letters too?"

Restraining his first response, Harry responded, "Well, yes sir, she said she likes helping out new students like me."

There were a few minutes of tense silence. Harry knew better than to make a sound. Aunt Petunia was shamelessly listening in from the next room.

"If I let you go you had better not come back with any freakish things. She had better look normal and arrive early so no one sees. You will sit on the porch before she is to arrive and we will not speak to her," Vernon growled. "Understand, boy?"

"Yes, sir, I'll tell her. What is a good time, sir?" Harry was almost choking in an effort to sound respectful rather than gleeful at the prospect of a whole day away from the Dursleys.

"Early, six or seven, and then you'll both leave quickly and not come back till evening. She'll get no money for taking you and had better feed you, cos I won't," said Vernon, waving a hand, dismissing Harry as something he didn't want to deal with anymore. He then returned to the same page of the paper he'd been reading all morning.

"Yes, sir, of course, sir, I'll tell you when, and what day she plans to get here, sir!"

Harry then slipped out of the room. As soon as he was up the stairs he let his face break into a massive, almost painful grin, terrifying Dudley back into his room.

'_Now, how can I make all that sound better when I write to Tonks?_'

As it turned out he had done well and she was happy to arrive early and pick him up. They'd be taking something she called the Knightbus so they could get around quickly.

"Why would wizard use buses?" Harry asked himself. Then again, they did use trains, so maybe it was a magic bus. He'd like to see that!

Yes the twelfth was going to be a great day!

* * *

"Six thirty in the morning! Honestly, it's madness to wake up in the holidays at six bloody thirty!" Tonks grumbled.

Still, Harry had seemed happy, so that was something. Riding the Knightbus would be something else. She'd have used side-along Apparition instead, but no one reacted well to their first time, and someone as… _delicate_ as Harry would probably have an even worse experience. 'Sides not like I've ever done it with a person before.'

"Crappy way to start a day anyway," Tonks shrugged, because, really, who wants to start a day out by throwing up?

Still, she was in a slight bitter mood thanks to having to take money from her third vault. The first vault was the Tonks family vault, hers for all intents and purposes. The second was a government assigned vault with her weekly stipend. She'd managed to get on the scholarship program in third year after being informed that under-achievers didn't get government handouts.

The third vault no one knew about and she knew she couldn't tell anyone else about it: it was the vault containing the trust fund that Sirius Black had left for the Tonks family (i.e. herself).

The vault had existed for years, but she'd only learned about when she was nine. She'd been strapped for cash and desperate. Even then, she'd refused it for days until she was hungry enough to give in. It had admittedly allowed her some semblance of a normal life, for a few years, at least. It never ran dry, although how much she could take out at any particular time was limited and in many cases not very much.

The goblins would never tell her how much was left in the vault, which was a little worrisome. Tonks knew it was limited because, more than once, she'd tried to withdraw from it and the vault had been empty. She had thought that maybe the last living Black had found out and revoked it, but next month the bankers had sent her a letter saying it was a "mistake". As far as she could tell it would have anywhere between 1 to 8 Galleons in it.

Honestly, she hated using it, or anything to do with that man, but needs must and all that. Of course she couldn't reveal to anyone. Even with its limited use it was still Sirius Black's vault, and she didn't want to be tainted by association with him, and lose her chance of becoming an Auror.

Still, there was no point in thinking about that today. She had some Galleons to burn and a cousin to meet, though honestly maybe Apparating would be less troublesome than taking the bus.

"Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Ma'am," said the conductor tiredly. He'd obviously worked the whole night shift and would probably be off dozing in one of the upstairs beds soon.

"Thanks! Have a good one, alright!"

"You too, ma'am." His statement was cut short by a loud yawn.

* * *

It was chilly on the front porch, Harry would have to admit, but it was still better than being inside with the Dursleys. Before he left the house he'd slipped his wand and holster under his shirt so the Dursleys would not take it from him. He knew how unreasonable they could be: growing up with them meant he had rather low expectations of them and of most people in general. That was also why he'd let Hedwig out last night and told her to wait outside in the trees so the Dursleys didn't get mad when he wasn't around to lock Dudley's door and keep her quiet.

Harry had practised casting the locking Jinx on his door, and he had managed to do it this morning without the Dursleys noticing. The Jinx itself was pretty amusing as well: the door wouldn't open until someone performed the counter jinx which he also knew how to do. If anyone tried to open without the counter jinx the handle would begin burning their hand. So Harry could go for a day out and be sure that his possessions would be kept safe.

Still, Harry wished Tonks would arrive soon. She had said sometime around six thirty and he was sure it was nearing that time now. He didn't let his anxiety show. The Dursleys except for Dudley were watching suspiciously from the window, their faces partly hidden behind the curtain. Harry didn't want to reveal how nervous he was, not to them: they'd laugh and remind him how no one would like him and how all the children avoided him, as if Dudley and his thugs and the horrid clothes they "generously" gave him had nothing to do with it.

But what if she'd decided not to come? What if she didn't want to see him again? Harry didn't want to think that, so he distracted himself and hoped as hard as he could that she'd arrive soon.

It was at that moment that Harry heard the distinctive sound of boots on tarmac. He'd gotten used to listening out for that sound in case of Dudley and his goons. Looking up hopefully, Harry saw a girl with the same heart shaped face as his cousin and similarly pale skin.

Of course, her hair was different and not even remotely normal: instead, it was short, pink, and spiky. Tonks herself wore black pants and the same large boots he'd seen her wearing in the alley, a blue shirt with an album cover printed on the front, as well as a large green jacket with golden buttons that went down to her ankles. There was a small bag hanging around her neck: he wondered what was in it.

"Wotcher, Harry! Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long!" she said.

Impulsively, Harry ran up and gave his cousin a hug. He felt guilty for thinking she wouldn't show, though he was immensely relieved when she responded to his affection by wrapping her arms around him. Harry decided he liked being hugged.

"No, I wasn't out here long. Can we go?" he asked hopefully, having pulled himself out of the hug. He was aware that the Dursleys would be angry. They always got mad when people were nice to him.

* * *

Harry's clothes were a bit odd, she thought. If she had to guess she'd say he was wearing his Hogwarts kit, his shirt and trousers at least. Then again, it was a considerable improvement over the shoddy things she'd seen him wearing last time.

"Sure, let's go, though I warn you the Knightbus is about as hard on the unprepared stomach as Apparating. I'll see if I can ask the conductor to place sticking charms on the seats." She glanced over at the front window of the fairly nice two storey house and saw two people, a large blonde man and a brown haired woman. They both looked disgusted and angry. Trying hard to be friendly, Tonks gave them a polite wave, but they shut the curtains rather than wave back.

'_Oh well, guess their manners aren't the best_,' she thought, ignoring the darker thoughts raging in the back of her head.

"Now, Harry I can't side along Apparate very well yet. That is to say, while I can Apparate myself I haven't ever taken anybody else, so I'm afraid we will be taking the Knight Bus," Tonks said.

"That's ok. What's wrong with the Knight Bus?" he asked, as they made their way around a corner at the end of the street. 'Is it supposed to be idling here or will we be waiting for it?'

"Well the seats aren't stuck down like in a Muggle bus, but I'll see about asking the conductor to perform sticking charms so we don't slide around. I was shocked rigid in my first ride, but just hang on and we'll be at my place before you know it!"

"The seats aren't held down by anything? Isn't that dangerous?"

"A little, but magical folk are a lot tougher than non-magical folk, so it's really just being jostled about that you want to worry about," said Tonks, looking around suspiciously, then leading him into the mouth of an alleyway that led to the next street.

"All right, now I will teach you something wonderful about the magical world: how to summon the Knightbus!" she said, her slightly curved wand appearing in her hand.

Not bothering to aim, she pointed it into the middle of the street. She said, "Simply stick out your wand into the street and, in a moment-" There was a loud pop and a massive blurring of motion in front of him. "-the Knightbus has arrived! Come along! Let me do all the talking," she said gently, tugging him towards the giant two storey bus, where they were met by a jovial and energetic young man, perhaps even younger than his cousin, welcoming them to the Knightbus.

* * *

"…emergency transport for the Witch or Wizard in distress," he finished, smiling as the women and her kid (or sibling, maybe?) stepped onto the bus. She took him aside, explained it was the kid's first time and could he cast the sticking charms?

"Why, of course, ma'am! Wouldn't want the lad to get motion sickness, would we?"

* * *

The conductor pulled his wand from his sleeve, muttered some words that sounded like nonsense to Harry's untrained ears and then, a moment later, two of the seats were suffused by a faint blue glow. "There you go, sir and madam. Those two chairs won't budge for the world 'til I take the spell off. Take a seat and we shall be off to the alley!"

"Thank you for your understanding in this matter," Tonks said primly, sitting Harry down in the chair closest to the window in case he wanted to look outside.

"How does this work? I know there's a train as well. I thought Wizards would use magic for this kind of thing?" Harry asked quietly, not wanting to show off his ignorance. The other seats were sliding all over the bus, but Tonks stood ready to shoo away any chairs that got too close to hitting Harry.

"Oh it's all magic… you know."

She'd hesitated, trying to think of something to say instead of his name: she did not want him to be swamped by his eager admirers. That was why they were stopping by her apartment first. "Basically, we Magical folk need to travel incognito, so we create devices like this that will stand up to a cursory glance and, thanks to some charms, that's all a Muggle will give this thing."

"There isn't really an engine. This is pretty much just a big enchanted chunk of metal with chairs, sometimes beds too." She batted away another chair that was sliding towards them.

"The Leaky Cauldron, ladies and gentlemen! Please, have a pint, have a snack and enjoy the rest of your day!" said the Conductor enthusiastically as Harry and Tonks exited the bus and heard it take off again: backwards, for some reason.

"You hungry Harry? I heard your stomach growl," said Tonks cheekily, taking his hand in hers.

* * *

Harry flushed as she led the way into her apartment building, the foyer of which was completely empty. All he could see were doors: a long line of doors with only a little space between them, without any stairs leading up to the higher floors. There was a small fire place in the centre of the wall.

"Now, watch closely, cousin of mine. These look great when you first see them."

Walking forward, still holding his hand, Tonks tapped her foot while looking up at the long line of doors on and up the wall. "Tonks apartment, second level room four," she said.

A moment later, the fourth door on the second level opened, and Harry noticed that actual wooden steps were folding out from the front of the door down to where he was standing with Tonks.

"And that, Harry, is how we get to my apartment," Tonks said happily, leading him up the newly made steps. "Don't worry; it's bigger on the inside."

"Come in. I must warn you it's not that big: just my room, the kitchenette and the bathroom, but it's mine, I suppose," Tonks said with what Harry thought was uncharacteristic nervousness.

"I think it's brilliant," he said. It really was amazing: all the flats seemed to fit so closely together in such a tiny space! How did that work? Well, it was magic, obviously. Maybe he could learn to do that? He could make his "new room" bigger. It would have been nice to be able to do something like that to the cupboard under the stairs.

Quickly dismissing those thoughts, Harry pressed on: today was not a day the Dursleys would ruin.

"Hehe, thanks, wanna see how I keep this place lit seeing as I don't have a window?'

Harry looked around at the dim almost blacked out room curiously. There weren't any candles or light bulbs. Noticing this, he nodded up at her.

Tonks removed her hand from his, clapped, and in a firm voice, said, "Lux". With that, the room was blazed into light. Looking up, Harry saw intricate circles painted on the ceiling, sparkling brightly. He theorised that they must produce the light in the apartment.

"Cool! How does that work?" he asked, his nervousness, ignored in favour of learning about magic.

"Simple, really- see the glowing paintings on the roof?"

He nodded

"Those are runes. You can start learning them in third year at Hogwarts. They're basically an old way of casting magic without a wand. Instead you scratch the rune onto a solid surface and channel magic through it, "Lux", in this case: it's a variation on the Lumos lighting spell, or the other way around I'm not sure, still much better for this kind of thing, if you ask me."

Harry was baffled by a large portion of what his cousin had just said, but he nodded as if he understood.

The apartment was small, he had to admit, and all the clutter did not help. All over the place he could see stacks of paper and books. A large potions set in the far left corner near the door, a small table with a second hand chair placed in front of it, and runes were painted all over the wall: honestly, he thought it was fantastic.

"Come on, I've got some bacon, eggs and sausages, if that's okay with you," Tonks said. She still seemed a little nervous.

"Thanks, I didn't get breakfast this morning. I can cook or clean up if you want."

"You didn't get breakfast?" Tonks sounded scandalised. "Well, I wouldn't worry about cleaning or anything. We Wizards and Witches have our ways. I'm not much of a cook but I can fry things up well enough. " She was careful not to voice the thought that came into her head: 'when I can afford it.'

"Come on, what I'm about to show you had better stay a secret between us, alright?"

Seeing Harry's affirmative nod, she pushed down her nerves and pulled out a wand: it wasn't hers, though.

"Those traces I mentioned are only on wands the ministry knows about. This wand is one I've been studying to use for years now. I can't do much with it, cos it's not mine, but it makes life a little more comfortable, I don't really need to use this one seeing as I'm seventeen but habits are hard to kick."

"Wands," she said quickly before he could begin asking questions "can be good for carving runes." "Though not necessary and if you use even a wand that isn't your own- well- you can activate enchantments and charms you set up with your own wand or runes that you drew you can even use your own innate magic, Charms and runes like on my frying pan, or chopping board."

With that, she rummaged in the cupboard for the frying pan that, if seen from the bottom, would have a collection of runes drawn on it, the chopping board (still as clean as the day she 'borrowed' it from the House –elves), and a wood handled knife, again with runic etching all over the handle, faintly glowing red.

As she began rummaging in the pantry, she explained, "basically, I picked these things up either at Hogwarts or, before going back, I enchanted them with my wand and drew runes on them as well to help maintain the charms. Said charms can then be activated by me using wands, gestures, words or even just my innate magic. For example, you see this bread?"

He nodded, looking interested.

"And see this knife?"

He nodded again.

"I enchanted and added some runes to it so, now, when I chop this bread, well, you can see for yourself."

* * *

She looked over, seeing amazement etched on his face as the slice of bread had become well-cooked toast on both sides. "See, this kind of thing is pretty common in most magic households. You want butter?"

"Yes, please," he said, still looking mildly stunned.

"Here, we magic folk don't have fridges, so we just enchant a cabinet to keep things cold. That's what's done here anyway. Milk?" she asked. Seeing his nod, she took out one of the only two glasses and poured him a drink.

"I did much the same with the frying pan and the chopping board. The board won't get dirty easily, though I had to have another student charm that one. I'm not terribly good at housekeeping spells you see," she said waggling her eyebrows at him.

"And the frying pan has a heating rune on the bottom, the same way the knife does: makes cooking a freaking breeze." She inwardly scolded herself. Having no real adult figure for a long time she'd gotten use to cursing and the like. One of the few advantages of being alone was that there was no else to tell her off.

Shaking that thought out of her head, Tonks dumped two sausages and a few rashers of bacon into the frying pan, cracking a couple of eggs on the side and adding them to the mix. She had charmed the frying pan to be larger than normal so as to cook everything faster.

Harry quietly spread butter onto his toast, asking if he could help.

_'I hate cooking but it's good to have company_,' she thought idly. The bacon was getting quite crispy, so she told Harry to pick up a plate.

* * *

It had taken half an hour, and it had been easily the best breakfast Harry had ever had, with the possible exception of the one at the Leaky Cauldron, although he'd been too nervous to really enjoy it much then. And, even better, he was with someone who genuinely enjoyed his company. Hagrid seemed to as well but, again, Harry had been a bit too nervous to appreciate it.

Tonks had just finished teaching him one of the few "Household" spells that she was good at: "Scourgify". He was pleased with how it cleaned up everything with no effort on his part. _'Maybe I can get a second wand after the trace activates?_' he thought. The Dursleys might not like it, but it was a good idea nonetheless. He would have asked Tonks, but she didn't seem to like discussing her second wand so he let the idea drop for the moment.

"Now that we've eaten, where would you like to go today, Harry? We can just visit Muggle London; there's an arcade near here. Or, if you want, we can wander around Diagon Alley. If you want to avoid being mobbed maybe we'll bring a hat. This place has been a madhouse since your _return_" she said, apparently highly amused.

"Or," she said, tapping a now far longer than normal finger on her chin, smiling deviously. "I could show you the Floo maybe, show you around Hogsmeade. Third year students at Hogwarts get to visit there on occasion."

"Any of those would be great, but I don't want you to have to spend too much. I still have money left over from my visit to Gringotts so I can pay my way," Harry said. He bit his tongue, seeing he'd offended her somehow.

"Harry, I offered to take you out. That means I'm paying. Sure, I'm not rich, but I can afford to treat my one and only cousin, for a day, you know!" When she started speaking she had sounded hurt but by the end of her statement her usually jovial tone had returned.

"Well, seeing as I offered to take you out for the day," she said, considering, "it wouldn't hurt to just walk you about til your tired, would it? We can order chips or something for dinner as well.

"So, where do we go first, cousin of mine?" Tonks said with a gleam in her eyes.

"Um, well, what's the Floo?" he asked. He didn't like feeling ignorant and was often teased when he didn't understand something, usually because the Dursleys hadn't bothered to teach him those normal things before throwing him out the door and sending him to school as Dudley's pack mule.

"Floo is one of the ways we get around. See this bag I have around my neck?" she indicated the brown bag she carried on a string around her neck. He nodded. "Basically, we'll go downstairs, to the fireplace, throw some of the powder into the fire, say where we want to go, and then step into the fire and it'll take us there. You have to enunciate carefully, though. I ended up in someone's house by accident when I was trying to get to the book store, once!"

Harry smiled. He liked Tonks's laugh. It was warm and affectionate.

"I know, I'll take you to The Three Broomsticks! It's a place in Hogsmeade. All the students go there on weekends. I can show you round Hogsmeade for a bit, maybe you'll even get a peek at Hogwarts proper, and we'll head back to the Three Broomsticks for lunch. Madame Rosmerta- she's the owner- she likes me."

"That sounds great. I'd like to visit that joke shop as well, if we can." Tonks had mentioned the famed "Zonkos" in one of her letters.

"Course we can! It's one of the best places to visit while there. Uh, we can go now. You should head to the bathroom first, though: always best to go before you leave."

Smiling, Harry got up and left the kitchen. He was looking forward to the day ahead of him. Just as he was about to enter the bathroom, he heard Tonks shout:

"Don't respond to the mirror in the bathroom if it talks to you. It'll talk your ear off if you give it the chance!"

'_Talking mirror?'_

* * *

_**End chapter four**_

_Author Notes_

All right I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, I'd like to thank everyone who left comments, faved or decided to follow this story and the next chapter should be up within two weeks, as I have to attend a wedding on the other side of the country.

I would like to thank all those commenters who left helpful advice or tips on how to improve the story; you've been a great help thank you.

As usual I would like to thank Chandagnac for being my beta reader, which is no small task and I would recommend his stories to anyone and everyone.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter five **_

_**A day out with Tonks**_

It turned out that yes there was a talking mirror, it came with the apartment and gave advice on how to take care of yourself, in Harry's case it consisted of "fix your hair and wear a less stiff shirt". At least at first, then the mirror had started going on about different glasses, ways he could style his hair and asking if he was a Metamorph like Tonks because she rarely listened to her mirrors advice, after hearing some of this "Advice" he could see why.

"All right Harry, the Floo is very simple like I said you just take some of this powder right here" She said tipping a small amount of grey powder into his waiting hand. "Then clearly state where you want to go and throw the Floo powder at your feet, you'll be surrounded by green for a moment but it just tickles." Tonks said

"Now practice with me a few times to make sure you got it ok?"

"Sure, Hogsmeade Post office, Hogsmeade Post office" seeing her give a thumbs up Harry threw the powder at his feet and yes there was a powerful tickling sensation as green flames came up around him.

Harry was hit with a sudden feeling of inertia as he was dragged into a massive glowing network enough to overwhelm his senses glowing blobs shining everywhere it was almost overpowering. As suddenly as it happened it stopped and he stumbled out of a fire place somewhere significantly colder than Tonks apartment building.

* * *

Upon witnessing Harry's departure Tonks stepped into the fireplace and being careful to say the words exactly as her cousin had set off into the Floo.

Tonks arrived to find Harry looking nervous and a little peaky all to be expected from Floo travel not as tough as Apparition but still disorienting.

Seeing someone she did not recognise coming over to investigate Tonks immediately stepped out of the Floo and placed her arms on Harries shoulder turning him around so as to walk them both out of the office and into Hogsmede.

"Heh sorry if it was a bit shocking for you but it gets easier" she said.

"Is all magical travel crazy like that" he asked seemingly thinking better of it the moment he said it.

'_Far too nervous this boy'_ Tonks reflected.

"Hah! I know it seems that way but you haven't even tried flying yet, but don't worry nothing will harm you while I'm here, come on we're in Hogsmede so soak it up because for the next few hours it's ours!"

* * *

Stepping out of the stuffy post office Harry was greeted by a new world and was reminded of Diagon Alley Wizards and Witches where milling about happily.

The streets were grey stone the building where old fashioned and beautiful like they'd jumped out of a history book only so much better.

The spell was broken when Tonks spoke, "Come on then let's take a look round Zonkos then!" pumping her fist into the air enthusiastically Harry happily followed after her, into the red store.

* * *

Zonkos was admittedly amazing and almost completely overwhelming to him, there where one or two other people milling about the store including two red heads who he guessed where twins they seemed to be talking to the man at the register despite lacking in purchases.

"Those two are the Weasley twins," Tonks said quietly as a balloon with faces on it floated by her head chuckling to itself. "There a hilarious duo, extraordinary pranksters at school, just don't eat anything they offer you they like testing their inventions on fellow students" Whispered Tonks an amused smile on her face as she whispered exaggeratedly.

"I know their older brother Charlie as well, he graduated last year and went off to Romania to work with dragons" she said while leading him over to what appeared to be a shelf full of lollies.

"Real dragons?" He supposed it made sense but what kind of work did you do with a dragon of all things.

Having taken what he guessed were two lollipops into her hands Tonks showed him to the living figurines, they were expensive but they looked amazing.

"Didn't you say friends of you were trying to make something like this?" he asked

"Oh sure though this kind of Transfiguration is incredibly complex, basically you animate the figurines but that even for something small takes a fair bit of magic and skill but any decent 6th year could probably do it."

"These are unique because they are charged by the owner's magic and the really expensive ones animate to the owners will." "Course that's not all that makes them hard it's also making sure the magic doesn't come undone or damage the toy itself and that is the most difficult part. Most student can animate something after they leave Hogwarts but the charm will come undone once they stop focussing on it, these one's are a permanent enchanemtment, that just need a bit of charging. I could probably animate something to dance but only once, when I was done it might be really damaged or it would just turn back course I never was that gentle with my magic." She said humorously.

Most of that explanation had flown right over Harry's head but he personally felt he understood the gist of it.

"Want one?" Tonks asked

'_Yes_!' but Harry could guess that they were probably expensive and as cool as a walking, jumping & dancing dragon would be he honestly couldn't think of why he should get one, even as a gift.

"Thanks but you already got me presents, and I'm not sure what I'd use it for either, but thank you."

She snorted and placed the dragon down "You're a really sweet kid you know that" he could see her smiling as he blushed.

"Come on let's get these mood lollipops and I'll show you the Wizard chess and exploding Snap."

"Exploding Snap?" he asked not entirely sure he liked the giant smirk on her face.

* * *

Almost an hour later they were leaving Zonkos a few Galleons less and in possession of some sweets as well as a few amusing trinkets, Harry knew he'd have to ask Tonks to look after them for him until Hogwarts.

The wizard's chess set had been impressive though he had little idea how to play the game and seeing the pieces hack at each other was kind of exciting and disturbing at the same time. Exploding Snap was completely mad; entertaining though like those action films he listened too sometimes through the walls of his cupboard.

The lollipops were fantastic they actually changed their taste and colour depending on your mood, there were two types ones that where more often than not used for jokes and the kind Tonks had bought them. Such as if you were feeling jealous you 'de suddenly taste grapes or sad and you suddenly got a blue bubble-gum taste as Tonks put it, right now he was happy so it was almost sickly sweet.

"How about before Honeydukes I take you to see the Shrieking shack students always talk about the damn thing, it's a bit of walk but it'll help build up your appetite." Harry nodded the affirmative and followed Tonks as she led him out besides Honeydukes and off to the Shrieking Shack.

"The shack isn't that far from the train station where we all get dropped off just over there see?" Harry nodded; if he focused he could just make out some stone building and the train tracks.

"After you arrive at the train station all you ickle first years have to take four person boats to cross the lake on the way to the castle, while the rest of us get horse drawn carriages."

He heard Tonks mutter something about mutant horses but then she burst into an avid and rather exciting description of the giant and apparently very friendly squid in the lake, honestly it sounded kind of fun.

* * *

In hindsight Tonks realised Hogsmede was probably more fun when you came with a group of people or perhaps more of a concrete plan of where to go and what to do rather than let's go somewhere because my apartment is small and I have no idea how to do this because I'm poor!

Still Harry seemed to be enjoying himself regardless, he looked like he had broken into an actual skip a few times constantly asking her questions about Hogsmeade the giant squid where there any others creatures like it. Did Goblins and other magical beings have magic schools as well? That one had been a little awkward but she was experienced at talking her way out of trouble so it wasn't hard.

Though she was a little worried that he hadn't been able to make out Hogwarts from their position, but she could leave that for the moment.

The trip to the Shrieking shack had been a good idea Harry saw it and got the same creped out vibe everyone else got; though he also said it might be a nice place to live "If it was fixed up a bit" so he had interesting tastes. The trip itself had almost taken an hour combine that with the time at her apartment and Zonkos as well as just ambling through the streets it was nearing eleven thirty.

"Come we can head to Honeydukes and maybe the broom store after an early lunch, you hungry?" seeing him nod the affirmative she led him down to the three Broomstick a bar that like most students she visited as much for the food and drink as she did for Madame Rosmerta .

'_Though he's a bit young to appreciate that sort of thing_' Still Rosmerta was also just very nice though if and when she guessed Harry's identity she'd probably start fawning on him.

"After that we can figure something out" she said enthusiastically leading him into the warm cosiness of the three Broomsticks.

* * *

After Tonks tripped "Only a little" over some boots at the entrance of the Three Broomsticks the two found themselves nice table a little out of the way and near one of the stain glass windows, menus laid out in front of them.

"So what do you fancy Harry? They serve drinks here more than food but they've got some nice meat dishes or we could order a large bowl of chips split it and think of something else for dinner"

Smiling up at his cousin Harry said "I think chips would be nice if that's alright with you?

"Course it is and for drinks I'll be having a Butterbeer, you're a little young for that but there's plenty of other drinks served here that do just as well." Just as he was about to ask her opinion on what drink he should choose a high pleasant voice rang out over their conversation.

"Ah Tonks, it's been too long." A very pretty woman who Tonks had pointed out as Madame Rosmerta was walking over to them her shoes literally sparkling; Harry unlike Tonks did not notice the numerous eyes' watching Rosmerta as she walked over to them a brilliant smile on her face.

"Rosmerta! It has been too long, nice to see you haven't forgotten me over the holidays." Tonks replied pleasantly waving the women over to their table where Rosmerta was looking them over curiously.

"Hard to forget a distinctive character like you Tonks, but we can catch up later who is your young gentleman here?" Motioning over to Harry, she looked him over and gasped excitedly, her eyes now flashing back and forth between them.

"Madame Rosmerta, meet my cousin Harry Potter" She said quietly motioning with her index finger for silence on Madame Rosmerta part. Harry shyly ducked his head before looking back up to her and saying "Nice to meet you Madame Rosmerta."

She seemed stunned for but a moment more before looking Harry over happily and she replied "Oh a pleasure to meet you as well little Harry" she said softly reaching over and patting him on the shoulder.

"Oh my you look so much like your father it's amazing, and I never even met him until he snuck out with his friends in second year" She said her voice was warm and soft as she spoke of his father.

"You knew my father?" He'd asked Tonks about his parents and she'd told him some of what she could though it seemed a painful subject for her as well and he knew her parents where gone so asking about parents seemed somewhat rude.

Seemingly stunned Rosmerta looked over to Tonks who shrugged, "Oh of course I knew him there wasn't a trip to Hogsmede your father wasn't here quite the act he was terribly funny and charming, you'd be hard pressed to find someone in Hogsmede who doesn't know him." Rosmerta said fondly "You're the spitting image of him you really are."

"I heard I look like him and Tonks told me he was funny, he looked that way in the pictures I saw of him." Harry replied awkwardly.

"Oh he was brilliant trust me on that dear, even if he and his friends did get up to a little mischief in their time it was all in good fun I see a Zonkos bag there, planning on teaching him the mischief making business Tonks?"

Tonks noticed that Harry seemed both cheered and uncomfortable and replied "Well I might; I do need to show those secret passages to someone after all."

"Though these days the real managers of mischief and shenanigans at Hogwarts are those Weasley twins" Madame Rosmerta and Tonks sent each other small smirks like there was some joke Harry was not aware of.

"I'm sure Harry would love to hear about his dad's adventures and exploits later, but we've been exploring Hogsmede all day and are in desperate need of nourishment Madame" Tonks proclaimed dramatically. "What drink would you recommend for Harry here" Tonks said motioning to the menu.

"Well seeing as it's your first time Harry I'd recommend the Party Punch delicious we still have a good amount stocked in the back if you'd like to give it a try, and Tonks a Butterbeer I assume?"  
Tonks nodded before looking over to Harry seeing him smiling as he said, "Party punch sound great thank you."

"Oh not at all dear, just make sure to look me up the next time you're visiting, now what food can I get you two?" Rosmerta responded still looking Harry over happily.

"Just a plate of chips and gravy to share Madame we had a large breakfast." Said Tonks

"I'll be right back with your orders then" Said Rosmerta not bothering to take any notes down she was about to turn to leave when Harry spoke.

"Thank you Madame Rosmerta it's nice to hear about my parents Tonks didn't know them when they were young" Rosmerta looked him over a small sad smile on her face.

"Oh not at all Harry, it's a pleasure to think of your father like I said a charming young man your mother was as well though I did not know her as well, when you visit next I may just sit down with you and tell you a few stories your cousin doesn't know." with a thick laugh she turned and left them to their table.

"Heh knew she'd like you didn't know she knew your dad so well but she has been about for a while, a bit like Ollivander she can remember practically anybody who's come through."

"She's nice you were right when you said she was pretty" Harry said looking over the place his father had apparently spent so much time in his youth with renewed excitement.

"Ooh does ickle Harry have a crush?" seeing his blush she decided to back up a little he was only a kid after all, "don't worry pretty much everyone who comes here thinks that and it's the truth. Some wonder if she douses herself with a bit of love potion or something, personally I say she's part Veela." Tonks said having leaned over to whisper conspiratorially in his ear.

"What's a Veela?" Harry asked hoping to distract from the issue as Madame Rosmerta returned a jug in one hand and a bubbling purple drink in a tall glass in the other.

"Here you two go and here is your meal" with a wave of her wand a large pile of chips appeared in the middle of the table in a bowl a gravy boat accompanying it.

"And don't think that you're paying miss Tonks I will simply not have it" stated Rosmerta firmly though the warmness never left her voice.

"Madame, I…" Tonks was cut off my Madame Rosmerta raising her hand.

"it's being respectful, first ones on the house to new customers and I was always fond of James I will simply not allow his son to be charged on his first visit, especially seeing as he has my favourite pink haired sprite as a guest."

"You two are not paying at least for the first round understand" seeing Tonks and Harry nod their heads she reached over and patted Harries head affectionately "Your father always had messy hair too ran in the family I suspect, enjoy your food and drink need anything just call me!" and with that she departed.

"She's nice" Harry said staring in something close to wonderment.

"Yeah the Madame always been nice" Tonks replied

"Now let's dig in" she said enthusiastically.

* * *

It was nearing on seven at night and his day with Tonks was almost over, Harry was trying to not let that dampen his spirits as they rode the Knightbus back to Privet Drive. Which since he'd been in it last had replaced its chairs with rather comfy beds. But just as the chairs before them where sliding around, this time though Tonks sat on the bed with him arm around his shoulder simply holding one of her legs out to stop oncoming mattresses.

The now tired but still enthusiastic conductor announced their stop, after waiting for Tonks to straighten herself up after nearly falling from the bed upon the buses sudden stop. "Privet Drive! Have a pleasant evening on behalf of the Knightbus" said the man, his enthusiasm dulled and his voice slightly horse, though with the same massive smile on his face.

"Off we go" said Tonks taking his hand again as she led him past the alley they had hailed the Knightbus from that morning.

Harry didn't want to go back to Privet Drive he hated it there, he knew he'd be leaving soon and things were better than before but he still hated it, he still felt scared, alone and wrong there.

Plus he still had to tell Tonks that he wasn't allowed to keep the things she bought him today with her money.

She must have noticed how down trodden he was looking Tonks was looking down at him concern written all over her face, '_I must look pathetic_' he thought. The Dursleys never really let him get away with it and just because he wasn't going to be yelled at and called ungrateful for looking miserable. Still none of that was a reason to trouble other people with his problems, he just wasn't worth it not matter what anyone said.

* * *

"You alright Harry?" she asked stopping and bending down to be at eye level with him, it wasn't easy with the way he closed up on himself, '_I remember doing that'_ she thought placing he hands on the small boys shoulders.

"No, I mean I'm fine but…" he mumbled the last part of the sentence.

"Harry, it's alright just tell me what's wrong and I'll see what I can do, ok." She said in what she hoped was a good imitation of Professor Sprouts reassuring voice.

"It's just Uncle Vernon he doesn't like magic and he said not to bring anything back today, so could you keep these things for me I can have them at school." He finished awkwardly.

"Ah" there wasn't much to say but that, well there where a whole host of things to say but she didn't know what to pick.

"He didn't know about magic before, Did he, having a hard time coping with it?" Tonks knew her dad had this problem it's why her grandparents had not been deemed suitable guardians.

"No they knew about magic they just never told me Hagrid was furious when he found out" he added hastily.

Harry didn't notice his cousins hair shifting sliding backwards curling with the tips turning red, he did notice her face becoming noticeable paler and more gaunt, though it corrected itself so quickly he thought he must have imagined it.

"They knew about magic and didn't tell you anything, at all" he voice quivering slightly Harry could feel the air around them going cold and as if to match Tonks hair had changed to light almost white blue.

She had guessed there had been some sort of fight but this seemed somehow worse than a disagreement; imagine not telling him about magic at all, it was ridiculous!

"Well, it's just they didn't really like my parents or they don't understand it, I don't really know why it doesn't matter I'll be going to Hogwarts soon anyway, besides I think uncle Vernon will be a little annoyed." He said smiling a little at her hair "Your hair was pink, he asked you to look normal though I don't mind but he gets upset really easily."

"I just want you to know this was a great day probably the best in my life thank you." Then he hugged her as tightly as his small arms could burying his face into her collarbone, he wouldn't cry he had long stopped bothering, but he wanted to remember this for as long as he could.

Tonks quickly wrapped her arms around her cousin's tiny frame '_Dammit what the hell do I do now!_'

"Look if you want me to keep your things for you I can but maybe I can talk to your family sort this whole thing out" she didn't voice how little difference it would likely make, but considering the look on Harry's face he already thought it would be a waste of time.

"I don't think words work on Uncle Vernon even the teachers at school are scared of him, though he's scared of Hagrid" he said smiling a little at the memory of someone towering over his seeming indomitable uncle.

"Yeah well I can be an intimidating when I want to be, but look here" motioning to herself he watched as Tonks pulled the hood of her jacket… robe he wasn't sure, over her head. A moment later she remerged shoulder length brown hair falling neatly over her face.

"There nice and normal for them, Come on I'll walk you home if you don't want me to talk to them I won't but I figure it'd be good manners regardless." Besides it didn't feel right sending him back in their without saying goodbye on the door step, she'd feel more comfortable if she could take their measures anyway.

Taking his hand in hers again Tonks slowly began leading him back to the Dursleys in lower spirits than before '_why did I mention it, if I had just not said anything I wouldn't have upset her_.'

'_What the hell am I meant to say to them I barely know Harry, I've never met them before, dammit why can't I think before I do these kinds of things?_' Standing on the sidewalk just outside house 4 Tonks felt uncharacteristically nervous; after all she was used to having magic or shape shifting to deal with her problems neither of which would really help here. '_Relax if I can talk myself out of trouble with Sevvie I can out talk anyone… probably_.'

"Thanks again for today Tonks" Harry said earnestly, "But I'll be fine."

"You sure?" nodding Harry somewhat grudgingly passed his bags of gifts back to Tonks before hugging her one last time, he was at least comforted by the fact she seemed just as unhappy about their parting as he was.

Holding the bags Tonks stood on the doorstep hair brown and watched a nervous Harry ring the Doorbell, there was a massive thumping sound approaching the door.

Tonks's first thought upon seeing who she assumed to be Harry's "Uncle Vernon" were along the lines of '_AAH! A manatee wearing a cardigan_!' He had opened the door and after looking around suspiciously he gave them both a disgusted look as he spoke.

"So I bet you thought it was pretty funny didn't you boy!?"

Harry's face was etched in shock for a moment before dawning in realisation, "You tried to get into my room didn't you" It wasn't really a question.

'_Well this is spiralling out of control quickly'_ Harry had told her he'd jinxed his door so his cousin couldn't get it while he was out apparently they weren't taking it well.

"Of course I did! Do you know how much trouble it was, I had to remove the bloody door you little brat!" "And if you think I am for one second going to let you out of my sights! No I said I'd have none of it in my house and you sending that bloody bird of to your freak at all hours!

"Don't call Tonks a freak!" Harry shouted back.

"Look how about we all calm down a moment and talk this out." She said hoping to maintain some semblance of control; this git was really getting under her skin.

"No! Get of my property you mutant! I won't have any of it not the boy thinking he's better than me with his strangeness not you and your deformities, I ordered you to at last pretend to be normal and you didn't; now get out of here before the neighbours see!"

"Not till this is settled!" She could feel Harry trying to actually push her back as this bloody troll of a man advanced on her. _'If anything this idiot is gonna show us all off to the neighbourhood, my hair dammit, got to get inside before people see_.' Knowing that she grabbed harry and shot around the man not an easy feet and entered the house, he evidentially wasn't happy.

"I told you to get out! I don't want any of this nonsense around my home you freak!"

"What did you do after you destroyed my door?" Harry actually yelled.

"I shoved all your nonsense in the bloody cupboard you ungrateful brat and that's where it will stay till you get out of my house, that door will cost a pretty penny to replace you know!"

"Then why did you break it?" Tonks barely resisted the urge to simply break his jaw, he was advancing again and had shoved her into the stair case; her hair was going black.

That was when he grabbed Harry by the hair to look him in the eyes she could see him struggling, while this pig screamed in his face.

"You hear me, you get her to go away and then you'll be lucky if you're fed at all before you leave, I am the man of this house and what I say goes no matter what you demented mutant Freaks say!"

'_Mutant!' 'completely mad' 'well what could you expect' 'they're all a bunch of freaks' 'surprised they let some watered down __**thing**__ attend school with us normal children' 'Freak_!', it happened, she snapped.

"Shut up! Stop using those words you fucking pig!" she hadn't meant to do it, but she did, her body released a wave of magic first accompanying her voice, flinging the bastard off her cousin and onto his back. Glass all around the house shattered windows exploded outwards & the cabinet against the wall shattered into a thousand pieces as the T.V in the lounge scrunched up on itself, and the lights blazed and flickered throughout the house.

And finally the glancing over at the cupboard under the stairs she felt the raw energy flow from her very being, one moment and a sharp hand gesture later the door shattered outwards. Her hair was spiked and red her face had mutated into something near monstrous. Harry had gotten to her and was clinging onto her hand watching the house seemingly come apart around him.

Panting Tonks looked around at the destruction she had accidentally wrought, seeing as no Aurors had appeared to take her away, she spoke.

"This obviously is not going to be fixed by talking! Harry can just… stay with me for the rest of the holidays alright; I'll take you and your stuff to my place and take you to the train there problem solved!" she sneered down at the man in front of her, schooling her features back into something resembling the face Harry knew, and turned to him eyes still blazing a powerful breeze accompanying her movement, Harry was staring at her dumbfounded.

"I can't, I mean I want to but I don't want to cause problems for you." He said sincerely.

"I offered Harry that means its fine, do you want to stay with me rather than here?" not that she honestly intended to leave him here anyway. He looked up at her and then around the room the women was comforting her husband weeping all over him while he half stood shocked and purple faced. Harry nodded

Turning back to the Dursley family Tonks spoke again her tone clipped and biting, "Harry will be staying with me for the rest of summer, that alright with you?" Considering her tone it really didn't matter what they thought on the matter.

"Yes fine just leave" screeched the women, how she could be related to lily Potter was anyone's guess.

"Move then, I'm getting his things" stamping forward the women half dragged her husband back with her. Squatting Tonks took in the tiny cupboard and saw Harry's trunk some books and what she guessed was Hedwig's cage. "Where is his owl?"

"it's fine I let her out before I left" Harry said hurriedly.

"I wondered where the ruddy thing was, what if the neighbours saw!" Shouted Vernon

"Shut up! Or I will give them something to see." Her face again mutating enough that this time they actually flung themselves backwards just to get away from her.

"Fine then," Grabbing the books and cage she passed them over to Harry who struggled a little with the assorted items, as she tore the Hogwarts trunk form it's confines and swung it in the general direction of the Dursleys. "Is this all you have Harry, is there anything else you might want to take with you?" her voice so harsh a moment ago now dripped with worry, '_is this all he has in the world?_' She was unsurprised but still disappointed when Harry shook his head.

"That's right and I don't want to see any of this ever again hear…" Vernon's speech was cut short as Tonks moved herself far closer to him that he was comfortable with.

"Shut up you ignorant pigs, do you understand me, just stop talking because if you don't only I will live to regret it do you hear me." The shouting was over, her hair ice blue, her face pointed her words left a freezing chill in the air right down to his bones as he shook.

Only now just realising how much taller than him she was, Vernon could feel a horrible mounting pressure, like tidal wave of power bent on crushing him and only him into oblivion.

'_I feel like I'm dying'_ Vernon thought as he awkwardly stumbled back into his wife's arms.

"Come on Harry we're leaving" Tonks said he voice firm as she turned the trunk over so it's wheels where on the ground as she lead the way out of house number 14, Harry happily following behind her despite his burdens, a massive smile etched into his face.

He'd been right, Harry reflected it had been a great day.

* * *

**_End chapter 5_**

_Author Notes_

I'll say this much, writing kids is hard! But anyway we now finally get Harry away from the Dursley's and in a few day's there will be an interlude offering "someone else's" perspective.

So I hope everyone enjoyed this latest instalment and I would again like to thank everyone who has reviewed, followed of faved it, in regards to reviews I will be responding to a few of them, I have been away and out of state with little to no internet access so I was unable to do so until recently.

As this fic goes on we are going to see some observation of wizarding laws and standards as well as cultural matters which ill hopefully be interesting and shed some light on other changes to the world as we know it. we are not just going to jump to Hogwartss, as fun as that would be.  
I also intend to for this fic to develop Harry as a child and a person, before it ever starts developing him as a chosen hero, though don't worry that will come up eventually.

Also to anyone understandably concerned about Tonks being over power I'll say this, what she did at the house was for all intents and purposes accidental magic form an adult and was in no way "proper" wandless magic that Albus and Tom use. For an added explanation what Tonks did was in no way beyond the abilities of a normal adult witch or wizard had they been using a wand, in fact they could have done far more than break a few things. What Tonks did is something I imagine as possible for most adults, it was accidental magic with adult power guiding, if an adult is pushed far enough I imagine they could do something similar, Tonks might be a little unique due to somehtign of a youthful hair trigger temper and her Metamorphmagi abilities leading her magic to being "closer to the skin" But it's all something any angry adult with no wand could do if they felt someone or they themselves were threatened.


	6. Interlude

_**Interlude**_

_What Dumbledore missed_

_To anyone who has read this chapter -when it only had Dumbledore it has since been updated, there's an explanation in the proper author's notes, I hope everyone enjoy's the updated version._

* * *

Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore coudl eb considered quite an amazing man. He was the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, founder of the Order of the Phoenix and often viewed by many as a hero.

Despite this Dumbledore would be the first to admit that he was not perfect, though good luck finding anyone besides Aberforth or Tom who'd openly say otherwise.

Though he knew there were those who thought he was flawed and simply kept those thoughts private Amelia Bones, Severus Snape, Rufus Scrimgour, and Bartimus Crouch Senior were three people that came to mind. But that was neither here nor there.

But because he was not perfect, Dumbledore had flaws; he could occasionally forget things, miss possibly important facts and make mistakes just like anyone else and despite what he might think not all of these mistakes lead to catastrophe.

Combine that with having just so many responsibilities, such as being Supreme Mugwup a Headmaster, and even if he wasn't busy with official duties he was looking for whatever remained of Tom and trying his best to track and recapture Sirius Black.

His flaws could sometimes even be enchased by having been popular and adored for so long, he did sometimes forget he could make mistakes, or not realise that other people who disagreed with him could be right and that he might not have all the facts.

So sometimes thanks to his many responsibilities and the amazing amount of faith so many people put in him and his own self-assured nature led him to forget to ask certain questions.

Especially when dealing with a heart on his sleeve fellow like Hagrid, who had off handedly in his report -which was held privately so as to not worry Minerva, or worry her about the boy's living arrangements- Hagrid had mentioned running into young miss Nymphadora, and forgot to mention the familial relationship that had been brought to light.

"_Because Dumbledore would have already known if it mattered."_

So, as he relaxed at a Muggle bowling alley -cleverly disguised as an eccentric old man- Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. -Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards, Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and founder of the Order of the Phoenix- did not realise that his many years of carefully laid plans were steadily coming undone.

Elsewhere in the world Harry Potter left Privet Drive with the only family he felt worth knowing to live with for the remainder of summer. The blood wards of familial love where flickering and waning as Harry and Tonks departed Privet drive for a London flat just down the street from a pub.

* * *

Elsewhere in Britain, on a bus, Harry and Tonks sat in an uncomfortable silence; the unexpected trip back to Tonk's apartment was now accompanied by a far less enthusiastic conductor. It was a quiet and almost solemn affair, Harry was close to falling asleep on his cousin who's almost violently shifting hair colors and shapes were indicating she was in deep and conflicting thought.

"Right well I only have my bed so…" Tonks trailed off uncomfortably.

It was then that the Knightbus made it's stop, flinging Harry, Tonks and a small pile of luggage -including a very cranky owl- onto the floor.

"Buggering hell!" Harry heard Tonks cry, before hastily rising to her feet and helping him up in the process and gathering Harry's Hogwarts supplied via magic as they speedily made their way of the idling bus.

"Its fine, I could sleep on the floor or the chair?" Harry offered helpfully, as they made their way inside the apartment complex. Seeing Tonks was now looking at him aghast he guessed that was not the right thing to say as she started shaking her head energetically.

"No I just need to figure something out, we didn't bring your either toothbrush did we?" she said her hand now clamped over her face, Harry felt terrible putting her out like this, but before he could speak Tonks seemed to brighten.

"Don't worry I already figured where we can get one, Merlin I'm clever" Tonks's more normal and playful tone had returned, her eye's seemed to shine as she was apparently quite pleased with whatever her idea was.

"Tonks apartment, second level room four" with that the stair extended out of the wall beneath her apartment door, much like earlier her apartment building seemed deserted, excluding the man in a large pointed hat leaving as they arrived.

"All right Harry just wait here and I'll go get a bed" Tonks said before he could even ask how she would go about just whipping up a bed like that. But before he could ask she patted his shoulder and offered him a quirked smile, and gently closed the door.

* * *

"Mr Marigon? Mr Marigon!" Tonks shouted while banging her fists against her flat manager's door, located at the base of the building right next to the Floo; she was rewarded for her efforts when a loud grunt resounded from the door as it swung backwards. Revealing her forty something apartment manager guessing by his clothes Tonks figured she'd interrupted him preparing for a date of all things.

Brushing that disturbing thought aside she spoke "Listen sir I know we haven't always gotten along but I could really use your help right now, nothing off!" she said noticing his raised eyebrows.

"You see" she stammered awkwardly, "Listen a relative of mine will be starting Hogwarts soon and he and his Muggle family had a tiff so I offered to let him stay here for the next two weeks, I don't" she stressed. "Need money, but if you could Loan or transfigure a bed that would be fantastic" Tonks finished looking hopeful.

He looked her over seriously he was already in a rush but chances were he would have to deal with this problem at some point, Hell chances were if he refused she'd just track him down and make him look like berk in front of Mrs Bolli, and that he could not allow. "Bloody Muggles" he muttered under his breath beckoning her into his flat one far larger than her own.

"All right" he said tersely and began fumbling with a cabinet, which upon opening Tonks saw was much larger on the inside and contained bed,s chairs and was that a chicken…?

"I'll give you a bag with an internal extension charm get the bed stuff out of it and send it back immediately once your done unloading" he finished firmly as he finished crafting a bed fit for a king, a very down on their luck king but still a king.

"Your just filled with hidden talents aren't you sir" she replied smirking at the older gentlemen with something resembling respect.

"Can't be an apartment manager without some skills like this, extension charms are definitely a must." he replied sounding tense. Honestly Mrs Bolli would be here any minute and how would having a teenage tenant in his room look, not decent certainly.

"…" he saw her mouth working over something as they finished loading the bed into the magically internally extended bag. "Thank you for doing this sir really it's been, I think it's been really hard for him."

"It's fine, my job I suppose" He responded awkwardly, there was a knock at the door that caused him to bite his tongue '_Dammit I don't want a downer like some homeless kids running away from home ruining tonight, I wore my good robes and everything!_' Luckily for him Mrs Bolli would not even know there had been someone else in his flat seeing as Tonks had vanished with a pop.

'_Bloody kids_' he thought before summoning his favorite and best dress robe and tie, and went to answer the door.

* * *

Harry was shocked out of his nervous reverie when a noticeably loud crack was heard above his cousin's bed, looking over he saw Tonks standing proudly on her bed having apparently deciding stairs were to normal a way of getting into her home. 'That must be apparition' he thought hastily.

"Here we are told you I'd get you a bed!" she said enthusiastically.

He looked around curiously as Tonks began waving her wand and causing her numerous piles of books and a large rune covered crate from the left corner of her apartment to move down the wall and awkwardly pile up upon each other.

"See here Harry this will look cool!" with that Harry watched stunned as the opening in the small cloth bag extended and stretched and from it he saw the base of a bed emerge and float itself into the corner. It was quickly followed by a mattress, quilt and sheets though it was somewhat less impressive when the sheets became a tangled mess on top of the slightly skewed mattress.

Still stunned he looked over and saw the bag vanish from her hands as Tonks slipped her wand back to its holster attached to her leg.

"See I knew you'd think it was cool, that's an undetectable internal extension charm, same thing is used on my flat most houses and tents have some as well, make's moving things easy." She said grinning "Though" Tonks spoke before he could ask '_How_' to cast that spell. "It's a N.E.W.T.S level spell that most people never learn. I learned it but only a very weak version to make a box and my Hogwarts trunk a little larger inside, this kind of delicate magic was never my style."

"Magic is really amazing, isn't it?" he felt stupid for saying it, but Tonks just grinned obviously pleased with herself.

"Harry Potter you have no idea, now you straighten up that bed, I'm terrible at that sort of thing, while I go and get a toothbrush."

"See you in a moment!" with that his cousin vanished from the room with a loud pop, he could not wait to learn how to do that himself, with that in mind he set himself to the rather simple task of straightening out the sheets on the very comfortable bed.

* * *

Stepping outside her flat Tonks could just see out of the corner of her eye Mr Marigon and his date stepping into the Floo, 'Good for them' she thought.

Stepping out onto the side of the street she held out her wand, and waited before hearing a loud pop as the Knightbus again blurred in front of her.

"Cor it's you again" Before he could finish, Tonks interrupted.

"I need a toothbrush, as in fast" she said firmly, already eyeing the container seriously.

"This is the Knightbus love, not a shop" he replied sound terribly smarmy.

Ignoring that she dumped five sickles into his hands and snatched the toothbrush magically from it's container and darted back inside.

"But, ey don't you want a water bottle!? There's a system to this there is, fifteen for…" he stopped seeing the women had already disappeared inside.

"Ern I'm not sure what jus happened" his concerns were ignored as the Knightbus sped off into the night causing a cat to shriek and fling itself to safety.

* * *

Having acquired the desired toothbrush Tonks Apparated into her flat and was pleased to see the bed made with Harry on his knees bouncing looking incredibly pleased, _'least he doesn't seem to upset_' she thought idly.

"Having fun there oh cousin of mine?"

Looking up a little stunned Harry felt embarrassed for being so childish and really he'd just made the bed and now it was all creased, "well it was just, it's a very bouncy bed" he said as way of explanation. Daring to look up Tonks was now bouncing up and down on her own bed slightly without actually jumping, careful to avoid hitting the roof.

"Yeah I used to do it a lot as well, but let it be known that the beds in Hogwarts are the springiest around" she said enthusiastically before taking a leap of her bed and landing in a skewed manner on her chair.

"Sadly Harry it has been a long day for both of us and I using my brilliance have accrued you a toothbrush" she said , proudly waving the brand new toothbrush in front of her as he crawled off the bed.

"Seeing as you were nearly falling asleep on the Knightbus of all things, I think it's best if we both head for an early night, we can sort everything else out tomorrow, all right with you?"

"Yeah that's fine" said Harry taking the offered toothbrush and setting off with Tonks to the bathroom where Tonks placed a silencing charm on the overly chatty mirror.

Afterwards they both took turn changing Harry was a little embarrassed by the few somewhat decent second hand clothes he had packed in preparation for Hogwarts, so he was glad when Tonks mistook them for sleep wear rather than every day wear. Tonks herself had needed to rummage around in a single cabinet which Harry thought was far too deep before pulling out some loose fitting short and a tank top for herself to sleep in, '_Wouldn't a person know where their pyjamas were?_'.

"You want to go to sleep with music Harry?" Tonks asked. Ever since receiving a Wireless she usually left it on when in need of a distraction, chances were Harry needed one, '_it's never easy to sleep after something like that_.' She thought miserably.

"I'm fine the… Dursleys didn't like music much, what do Magical people listen too" he asked reasonably.

'_Stupid why bring it up at all?'_ she thought.

"Well there are all sort of shows on the wireless like Glenda Chittock's show called the Witching Hour, then there's the sports channels, some talking shows and more music some of its old though." "The new stuff people my age listen to are things like the Weird Sisters, I have a shirt with one of their albums on the front; or say the Bludger Heads, there stuff is a bit loud for my taste." She said smirking over at him she shrunk her ears until they were only a centimeter all around, she was relieved when Harry laughed, he had a sweet laugh, she thought.

"Still if you don't want music that's fine I don't usually go to sleep with it, figured it'd be polite to ask though"

"Thank you, I'd like to learn more about the Magical world, your letters have been really good for that." He said gratefully he didn't really want to tell Tonks how nervous he was about Hogwarts his parents must have been great at magic to do all the things Tonks and Hagrid said they did. And it seemed people would react oddly to the whole "Boy who lived" thing, but besides the Jinx on his door Harry was fairly certain he would still sink to the bottom of the class, maybe he could ask her for more help tomorrow, if he wasn't putting her out too much.

"Well then Harry I will bid you a good night and see you tomorrow if that fine with you" with that she strolled over to his bed sat on the mattress before giving him another quick hug, Harry was happy to oblige even if he was almost asleep in her arms.

"Nox!" she said having extracted herself form her cousin, Harry watched still amazed as the light in the room vanished except for the glowing rune over his cousins bed, then he heard her trip and stifle a curse under her breath.

"Are you all right!" he asked quickly trying to get out of bed.

"Fine Harry like I said I'm dead clumsy just stubbed my toe a bit, get to bed young man, you'll be seeing more than enough of me soon" Tonk said as she slipped into her own bed, the Glowing Rune above her bed flickered and vanished leaving the room in darkness except for the lightly glowing box in the corner which Harry easily ignored, repositioning himself more comfortably he said the first thing that came to mind.

"Good night Tonks, thanks again" he knew there was something else he wanted to say but for now he'd have to leave it at that.

"Good night Harry, don't worry about it, least I could do, you're family after all" and with that Harry rested his head back on the best bed in the world.

'_I never want to leave_' he thought dreamily.

_**End Interlude**_

_Author Notes_

I have updated this chapter with a lost scene, I initially planned the Harry Tonks scene for the next chapter but I decided I rathered it here, it helps round out this chapters size and fill in some blanks. I actually wrote it ages ago but there was some sort of email problem and I lost this section of the story and I only realized so recently! I feel like a fool. still I hope any new or old readers find these additional scenes enjoyable.

Well as usual I'd like to thank everyone who's read, reviewed, faved and followed this story, I have been left shocked and overjoyed by both the support and helpful critiques left by some of my reviewers, I hope you all continue to enjoy this story.

I may take a bit longer than usual with the next update as I've been focussing so much on the fic that I've fallen behind on my work and my muse has opted to flutter out the metaphorical window.  
Still I have all of year 1 and 2 planned as well as the general direction of the fics, I just can't promise when the next update will come, and for that I'm sorry.

I'll say this much Dumbledore is not easy to write, partially because it never seems clear how much he knows about what's going on at any given point in time ever.

Just to clear up a certain amount of characterisation, I am not writing an "evil Dumbles"  
I could go on for a while about his characterisation and my plan for his thoughts and motives and rationales, but I hope that later chapter will demonstrate my view on "this version" of Dumbeldore.

Sorry for the short lengths of this, but it is meant to be an interlude the next chapters are all much longer.

And I just remembered to do this, "I don't own Harry Potter or anything related to it, please don't sue me, this is not for profit."


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

_**What's best?**_

It was morning, Tonks realised with some resentment easily the worst part of the day, especially when you'd had a rough night previous. Still she forced herself to sit up and after getting over the shock of seeing another bed in her room, better than someone in her bed, '_Heh never letting Chell near Butterbeer again_.'

Tonks had to remind herself that Harry had been kicked out of his house and she'd agreed to take him in, with little to no planning or forethought, '_Oh well, I'm sure It'll be fine in the end' _She thought optimistically. Despite images of money, reporters and possible death eater attacks spinning throughout her head, all competing for attention.

After seeing her cousin was still sleeping soundly, Tonks rose or tried to rise from her bed, but with sleep still in her eyes and that miserable feeling of morning "grossness", she simply flopped unceremoniously out of bed, banging her head on the floor, lightly enough not to wake Harry which was something she supposed.

"Bugger" she mumbled under her breath.

The magnificent magnitudes of her morning Migraine merely mocked her like the sun in its greeting of the day. Managing to manifest a modicum of motivation Tonks dragged herself up and meandered to the kitchen making a mission out of mixing tea but the milk was going off and the tea by itself would be bitter and there was no sugar and the market felt like its miles a bloody away.3

'_I hate everything'_ she thought bitterly.

With that thought Tonks turned away from the strained countertop just in time to hear a small thumping sound on the wooden floor, almost certainly Harry awakening, the metamorphmagus looked over to see him staggering slightly as he yawned.

Harry suddenly grew alert and gazed around the room rapidly for a few moments almost alarmed and Tonks wondered how he was going to react to everything that had happened last night. He seemed to calm himself likely remembering where he was and looked over at her amazement clear on his face, as a massive smile came over his face; Tonks gave him a small wave from her position behind the countertop.

"Good morning, Tonks" Harry said brightly, "are you OK I heard a sort of bumping sound and…"

Tonks chuckled self derisively "And immediately thought of me? Don't worry I'm a tough one Harry, always have been."

"The question is, are you OK?" she let that question hang a moment before continuing "Sleep alright, comfy bed and all?"

Harry smiled winningly at her, "It was great, much more comfortable than the old bed the Dursleys gave me, I hope it didn't cost too much?" he finished a little guiltily.

In the back of her head another slash was made over the Dursleys name, '_Oh I am going to have words with them, magic words that fling people into walls'_ she thought icily.

"Nah I got it for free, the manager was in a hurry and said I could borrow it for you while you're here, though I didn't say your name otherwise he'd go off and boast down at the pub." She replied Harry flushed slightly and began walking over to the kitchen.

Before Harry could respond with what Tonks _guessed_ would be more thanks and apologies, she broached the subject of breakfast. "There's still some of the meat, eggs and bread left from yesterday, so we can have that this morning, and figure something out for lunch and dinner, all right with you?"

Harry beamed at her, really he smiled a lot for someone who just got thrown out of house and home, "That sounds great" he broke off for a moment getting that same troubled look on his face that he had worn on their way back to… whatever number that horrid little house was. He smiled up at her again regardless "Thank you for this, really, but are you sure you won't get in trouble?" he asked worriedly.

'_Does he want to go back there_?' the relief on his face when she agreed to take him had been painfully obvious. Sipping her tea she thought for a moment more before just asking, "Why would I get in trouble if anything those horrid people would be in trouble, even though I did trash their house a bit."

"I was worried about that, are you sure no one will mind, well besides the Dursleys" he finished a little smirk playing on his lips.

"Maybe but you're more important than being yelled at, anyway there were meant to be people watching your house or protective spells or something from what Hagrid said, clearly they weren't working, not my fault if everyone else is incompetent." She said smirking at him she ruffled his already messy hair, idly wondering if brushing it would help.

"I'm just worried you'd get into trouble" he froze up a moment and then spoke again. "But didn't you say there where -_Meant_- to be spells and things to hide me from people that want to hurt me because of Voldemort?" I don't want you endanger because of that…" Harry froze whatever he was going to say next dying on his lips as he saw her stiffen her hair turning white. "Are you okay?"

Tonks took a moment to try and get over the shock of hearing -that- name uttered so casually and replied. "Yeah just fine… look even if there were protection spells they obviously didn't stop that, Manatee in a cardigan" she smirked. "From grabbing you or attacking me or anything, seeing as no one knows you're here or even about our family relation I don't think you're about to be attacked, you did make it to eleven after all."

Growing more serious Tonks reflected on her cousins words, Death Eaters had escaped justice, much too many people's including her rage and **Sirius** was still out there somewhere, but no matter what she couldn't send Harry back to them, it would be too cruel.

"Besides even if some old Death Eaters" she noticed his confusion "They were… "_You know whose_, servants, bloody stupid name if you ask me."

"Anyway, even if they did figure out where you were staying they'd have to get though all the protective spells and being paranoid as I am I had a professional Auror set up the protective spells themselves, nice guy if a little _Moody_." Tonks resisted the urge to laugh.

"And" she added her voice deeper than -normal- "even if they did pull that off, finding you breaking in and I somehow chose not to just Apparate us both out of here and go to the officials."

Tonks smirked wickedly, new grown fangs showing in a large -what one of her year mates dubbed a _Cheshire cat grin_- plastered on her face. "They'd still have to get past me, to get to you and I'm a tenacious bugger." He laughed a little all his nervousness seemingly gone. "Don't worry so much Harry, I'm older than you, let me do any worrying that needs to be done and just try to have fun all right, good old Tonks will protect you" she proclaimed dramatically thumping her chest.

"Ok thank you really I…" he broke of suddenly, then he smiled and said "want me to make breakfast this morning?" he offered helpfully.

'_Best Flat mate ever_.' Tonks decided

"I'll put everything on and you can watch it, while I go and get the paper, seeing as you're so insistent on being an excellent house guest." She smiled at his flushed face.

* * *

Having completed the truly monumental task of beginning to cook breakfast and making sure Harry understood exactly what to do with the magic frypan, she set off. He could hold the fry pan without getting burned so she figured it would be safe to step out for a minute to snag the paper.

Tonks was more than pleased when she returned to find Harry happily flipping the bacon and eggs and nothing was on fire, much better than her first few attempts at cooking on her own.

'_In hindsight all the shape changing and tripping didn't really help'_ with that thought she strolled over to the kitchen and stood waiting for Harry to ask her to turn off the heating runes and began scanning the Prophet for anything interesting.

A small article on the third page caught her interest '_Arthur Weasley, to ban flying carpets in Britain?_'

"Honestly, I like most of the Weasley family well enough but sometimes I wonder if the fathers not just a little too weird." Harry looked over at her; his amazement at the moving pictures had been dulled yesterday at the Three Broomsticks.

"What does he do?" Harry asked innocently.

"He's in charge of the _Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office_ Department, basically means if some wizard or witch curses a chess set to sing or something he's in charge of finding it getting rid of it and covering it up."

"It sounds like an important job especially seeing as it means he's part of the _Department of Magical Law enforcement_ but it's a really small department from what I understand, anything dangerous gets handed over to Obviators and the Aurors."

Harry nodded but beckoned for her to continue.

"Nothing really wrong with him, he's I nice guy I met him a few times, but he's a bit obsessed with Muggle technology and the like but doesn't really seem to get much of it, probably because he's from an old family, they rarely if ever know much about Muggles." She moved over to help Harry serve their breakfast and then began re skimming the article.

"I swear he'll be after our brooms next" she mumbled to herself before cutting Harry some lightly cooked toast.

"Anyway a department head is allowed to try and introduce new laws, and he wants to get rid of magic carpets as in to make them illegal to own or use."

"Why's that?" Harry asked reasonably, happily spreading jam over his toast.

"Not a bad idea, see unlike brooms which are produced by specially trained master crafters there's no one in Britain who actually knows how to make flying carpets, not the proper way they do over east anyway. That means when someone own one they either imported it and considering just how jealously we all guard our magical secrets there's no way some wizard over east would just send some bloke in Britain a proper flying carpet."

Tonks said sitting down at the small table and brushing the paper aside, she was annoyed to find that somehow despite casting spell after spell on the damn table it still creaked!

Tonks quickly refocussed on the conversation at hand. "So instead they would send a cheap knock off, in which lies the problem knock offs aren't safe, the fact is that if we did start producing them in droves because someone figured out how to make them we'd still have problems because the idea is owned by a few different companies over east so they would kick up a fuss. Meaning that any that aren't knock off are probably homemade thus even more dangerous and likely to cause an international incident or at least allot of complaining." She said in-between bites as Harry devoured his meal politely but also as though he just had to get it all in as fast as possible or someone might steal it, considering Harry's structure and that of his relatives Tonks wondered if that was the case.

Despite the rather humdrum topic Harry seemed to be trying to pay as much attention to her as possible, she could guess why, he wanted to know more about their world.

Still best to see if she was boring him so she asked. "Why so focused on this? It's hardly the most important thing going on in the world right now".

He looked unsure for a moment before speaking "Well, I want to understand things I mean, I'm so new to all this, but I want to be a part of it my parents where and I just want to understand this… our world better." Harry said awkwardly, he said "Our world" with such a powerful sound of longing she almost considered just hugging him right then & there.

Smiling at her cousin Tonks said "Well that is more than understandable I know normally Professor McGonagall picks up some books on the history of Hogwarts and just about the magical world in general, I guess Hagrid forgot those seeing as there not on the list." She finished of the remaining bacon.

"Well then Harry ask me some questions and I'll tell you no lies, if you really need to know stuff we can always go out and pick up some books sometime" Tonks said happily.

'_Please don't, I don't have that kind of cash, why don't we have libraries outside Hogwarts dammit_!?' Tonks thought to her herself, Harry was blissfully unaware of her internal ranting.

He nodded in response his mouth filled with some miscellaneous food stuff. Swallowing Harry asked an odd question, "How come he can pass laws I mean I don't think that's how it works in Muggle world, and you said his department wasn't that… important" he seemed to wilt a little at the idea of speaking disparagingly of someone else.

'_Such a sweetie_!' "Well what I meant by that was that while useful most of the dangerous work will get handed over to other departments so it's just not considered as important, it doesn't help that it's rather new as well, founded maybe 13 years ago."

"Oh I guess that makes sense." Harry responded looking less doubtful than a moment before.

"Anyway it is a useful department, just not the most important, but to answer your other question… well that'll take a bit more." She stopped and coughed into her hand slightly, and rose hands clasped behind her back she spoke in what she hoped was a very official sounding voice.

"Basically in our magical government the -_Ministry of Magic_- there are seven departments, all of them deal with different aspects of the Wizarding world, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is the largest and most important." Tonks said enthusiastically, Harry looked intrigued.

"Did my parents work there?" he said sadness tinging his voice ever so slightly.

"Not technically, your parents were considered honorary Aurors for all their good work, but your parents were so well off they didn't really need to work as I understood it, so they put all their efforts to fighting the enemy and protecting people." She said hoping to bring his spirits up a little.

Harry nodded looking a little enthused again.

"Anyway as I said, there are seven departments each with a department head all of whom answer, sort of anyway, to the minister of magic and the Wizengamot, they're our judges for criminal cases and are involved in the passing of laws as well."

"Moving on, inside each department there are sub departments each with a department head who answers to their own head, like Arthur Weasley, he answers to Madam Amelia Bones one of the greatest Witches of our age!" She said, not entirely keeping the enthusiasm out of her voice.

"She's head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, while Arthur heads up a sub department." Looking over at Harry to see his head spinning, metaphorically anyway, she left him a moment to absorb what he was told.

"So there are seven Departments and lots of smaller ones who all answer to the bosses of their departments and their heads answer to the Minister and the Wizengamot." He answered a little unsure of himself; in response she offered enthusiastic applause bringing a blush to his cheeks.

She smiled "Very good, and head of departments or head of a sub department can draw up and introduce new laws, try to repeal or alter old ones, Arthur is trying to get a new law passed." She said gesturing to the paper.

"While someone else might try to get the underage magic laws changed so student can perform specific spells outside school, see?" He nodded "But the new law has to be relevant to your department Mr Weasley couldn't try to say change laws in regards to dangerous magical creature because that's not part of his department."

"Normally you'd think these kinds of laws would need a lot help from another department like the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Seeing as it involves stuff from other countries."

"I suppose that's why he waited until he could get Carpets, the normal kind, listed as a Muggle artefact so he could just ignore the higher ups in his or other departments, sneaky guy." She said approvingly Harry nodded, seeing Harry lick his lips Tonks moved to get him a glass of milk, ignoring his light protest that he was fine.

"Anyway that's still not enough, now the law will come before the Wizengamot because he got enough support for it, not sure how, but hey, if the Wizengamot approves it the law will be a Decree, their sort of like practice laws."

"They get approved for a certain amount of time and if you break them you can just buy your way out of it because it's not a proper law yet, if after a few years the Wizengamot the Department heads or the public think it's working it can be pushed through and made a proper law."

Harry nodded having skulled the milk in one gulp despite saying he wasn't thirsty.

"Though" she continued "To pass a new law as I said you need either the Wizengamot all the department heads or the public behind you and even then you need to get the right sort of bill passed that basically says, -_If this group agrees with me, this laws passes_- that's why Mr Weasley knowing the public don't really care that much decided to go and appeal to the Wizengamot, they just loved passing new laws, more to tax us over."

"Not that we can complain, you're rich and I don't have to pay taxes till next year!" she finished with a flourish as Harry watched on with interest trying to absorb every detail.

"If it passes Enchanting flying carpets or using one will be considered improper use of magic and illegal enchantment of a Muggle artefact, bit strange but a good idea I guess."

"Then" She added hoping to wrap up this impromptu lesson on Wizarding law.

"Carpets will also go down on the Non-Tradeable Material list and a few other lists and registries that tell us what we can't do, and that little Harry is how magical people pass laws!" she finished flinging her arms up and taking a bow over the table, sadly not having noticed her altered height Tonks banged her head, much to her and Harry's chagrin.

* * *

Half an hour later Tonks had finished her shower and dressed in the bathroom, technically she could make all the -_bits_- disappear, but that would probably traumatise the kid more than seeing her starkers.

She came out to see Harry humming along happily to a song on the Wireless, she didn't recognise it but it sounded like something by perhaps the "Serenading Sirens" relaxing soft sort of music.

"Harry showers yours all right?" he looked over to her and then over to his trunk uncomfortably.

"Um, you see I didn't bring any other clothes with me, I didn't really expect to get thrown out." He finished somewhat humorously, while Tonks felt like a bloody dolt.

Slapping her hand against her head Tonks pulled out her wand pointed it at her cousin and intoned "Scourgify" with that the creases vanish if only a little and overall they looked fresher.

"Yeah still bad shakes with those household spells, listen you learned that yesterday so perform that on the clothes a few times before your shower we'll figure out some more clothes later." He nodded still feeling over the clothes.

"Thanks again Tonks." He said.

"No problem" she replied ruffling his hair as he walked past her, wand in hand.

It was a few moments later she found out that Harry did not feel comfortable showering in front of a talking mirror that commented on his bony figure and suggested a larger diet. End result she had to cover the mirror with a sheet and spell her towel dry seeing as she only had one, before Harry would be able to shower comfortably.

Figuring he wouldn't need her for a few minutes Tonk Apparated to Gringotts, she couldn't get Harry's key that would be with Hagrid or Dumbledore, why exactly that was she wasn't sure but she could figure it out later. For now she just needed to check her vault's and see if there was anything worthwhile. Tonks was a little shocked to find out there was.

* * *

The rest of the day passed fairly simply with fifty Galleons to her name Tonks got Harry's shirt and pants sizes before he got dressed, by having him yell through the door and Apparated of too Madam Makin's, not looking even a little like the 17 year old girl Harry was used to.

She placed the order for a cloak three shirts two sets off pants some shorts and under things, she might have been more awkward had she not spent so much time wearing other peoples gender's and faces.

After returning with his replacements it was just a matter of deciding their overall plan for the remainder of Summer, deciding that they wouldn't bother to contact Harry's relatives was the first thing they ticked off, besides that though…

"Well Harry, as much as I'd like to take you out every day for fun in the sun of the magical world I don't really have those kind of funds, it felt a little less shameful to say so seeing what Harry's family was like.

"That's fine I'm happy just spending time with you, and I'll need to study anyway I want to do well." Harry responded amazingly chirpy really.

"Aww you're a sweetie" Tonks was amused to see Harry duck his head in embarrassment, "I'll help with your studies if you need me too." So long as he didn't ask any historical question she'd probably be able to help… probably.

"Anyway I doubt either of us would want to be cooped up here for the rest of summer so we can still go out visit Hogsmede again, I'm sure Rosmerta would just love to stuff you full of sweets." She winked at Harry who smiled brilliantly, vaguely reminding Tonks of her own toothy smiles, or smirks.

"We could go to the arcade as well, some friends of mine might come too, they're liable to make a fuss of you but there harmless, if quite odd and proud of it."

Tonks mulled over some other less costly ideas for entertainment, and then inspiration struck her. "ahah! Dear Harry I will be taking you to something that all children should visit at least once in their life, a Quidditch match."

"I thought there were just school teams and the professional teams? He said confusedly still remembering her explanation of the sport when they first met, then hastily added. "Not that I'm not interested Quidditch sounds really exciting but would you have to pay for a ticket?"

"Nah I've been attending these since I was as tiny as you, though I can make myself smaller so that's not saying much, ooh maybe we can be twins sometime that'd be hilarious." She drifted off for a moment highly amused at the thought.

"Anyway, Quidditch wouldn't be that great if only school teams and Pro's got to play, lots of people join amateur teams or play on weekends, but every two weeks the Ministry throws a Ministry department Quidditch match."

Standing and gesturing dramatically, she said "In these matches seven witches or wizards are selected from the Ministry to participate in a grand battle upon the Quidditch pitch… While the rest of us stuff out faces with food and watch accountants' wallop each other with Bludgers, truly there are few things so entertaining." With a final turn she sat back down and was pleased to see Harry smothering a laugh at her antics.

"So how's that sound for summer oh dear cousin of mine?"

"It sound like it'll be the best summer of my life."

* * *

_**End Chapter seven**_

_Author Notes_

So I know this chapter took me forever and for that I'm sorry UNI and some personal problems slowed me down by allot and chapter 14 did and still doesn't want to cooperate, still this chapter's been edited three times and I hope it's up to everyone standard and enjoyable for all.

I know this chapter was mostly just allot of talking, I promise there will be more action stuff later, but I wanted to catch the initial reaction and morning, then we can start skipping to the more summery vacation stuff. Plus I enjoy world building.

I intend to try and get chapter eight up by the end of next week.

I had to do a fair bit of editing to the story plan, quite a few people seemed uncomfortable with the implication of Tonks's magical outburst so I realise some of my plans for the world overall might need to be changed a little.  
Basically I had original intended wandless magic to be "common" I don't mean anything complicated, but I figured most adult who got decent grades could say summon their toothbrush or heat up tea by breathing on it. (I really like that mental image) As it stand it seems that won't work so I needed to go and edit mentions of it out first and foremost, honestly with hindsight it's probably for the best.  
Just to be clear I intended the magic system to go "wand with words magic/Silent with wand magic/extremely low level wandless magic"  
A cookie for any and all who get the song Tonks is referencing when waking up and making tea ;)

Besides that expect the next chapter up next week where we should meet some new faces and get out of the apaprtment!


	8. Chapter 8

**_Chapter Eight_**

**_Summers & Quidditch_**

So far, summer with Tonks had proven to be an outstanding improvement over summer with the Dursleys, not that, that was a surprise.

After their talk on his first real day in his cousin's home, Tonks had helped him set up his few possessions and he'd been invited to spread out into her living space.

Although he had been warned against touching the glowing box as it had "_Advanced Protection spells_" on it. He wasn't sure why.

Tonks had set up a screen between their individual beds, saying it would be inappropriate if there wasn't something protecting their modesty. Her habit of '_sleep shifting_' convinced him it was for the best.

After he'd spent the first morning getting acquainted with his new home, Tonks had called him over and shown him a photo album, a large portion of which contained photos of his parents.

She'd told him much of what she could remember about the early days when his family had come to live with hers, her voice sometimes growing hoarse. But when the story was done she looked relieved, as though some sort of weight had been lifted.

Tonks had started taking him aside after dinner and walking him through stories of his parents, though her voice would catch at certain points, the discussions always left him happy. Tonks seemed lighter and happier as well.

Overall it was fantastic, he couldn't have asked for better stories. He knew he should be too old for bed time stories, but he enjoyed them too much to want them to end.

He'd often find Tonks studying or pulling her hair out while going over forms from the bank. Well, he knew they were to do with money, but it was all just gibberish to him.

She also cast a spell on Hedwig -who he kept at his bedside most days- invisible and let her out to hunt in the evening. With a tracking charm attached, just to make sure she got back ok.

Tonks was also helping him with his studies. She'd taught him a few basic spells and helped him with his quill work, which was very helpful as his handwriting was terrible. She focused on Potions a lot. The Potions teacher was a "hard-ass", as his cousin put it.

It was a unique experience to have someone who actually wanted him to do well. The Dursleys usually punished him if he had ever outshone Dudley (which was about as difficult as outrunning a snail).

But Tonks wanted him to do well and was helping him. He pledged he would do his very best and work hard to make sure her efforts weren't in vain.

The food was better too! Breakfast was usually simple things, but he at least got to eat his fill here and no one tried to steal food off his plate. If they went out, Madame Rosmerta would always find the time to sit down with them, to share some old stories about his father.

Harry had managed to talk her into allowing him to cook sometimes; now that he wasn't living with the Dursleys, Harry actually liked helping.

Meanwhile, Tonks had said she'd have to try and contact someone called Moody "just in case". What "just in case" meant had yet to be explained to him, but Harry had a good few guesses.

Today though, Tonks was taking him out for his first Quidditch match. A real family outing, she'd been practicing Side-along Apparition with her Hogwarts Trunks just so they wouldn't have to walk anywhere.

"You ready to go? The food will get cold if we dally," Tonks said, Apparating into the kitchen rather than simply going through the door like most people.

Tonks was wearing her usual black boots with close-to-the-skin black pants and a skirt. Along with that she wore a similarly close-fitting black undershirt that stopped halfway down her lower arm, a red vest tied up on the left side with some sort of symbol on it and a brown cropped jacket buttoned only around the neck. There was a red mark on the side and a black slightly-spiked bracelet on her wrist.

Her hair had now turned cerise, having been green the day earlier. But rather than spiky it was nearly down to her neck, slightly uneven and sliding back to hang over the left side of her face.

Tonks had also altered her face and skin colour, something she often did, today her skin had a slightly yellow tint to it and she had set her face into something slightly longer and more square-jawed, though she was still easily recognisable. As usual, she had a wand holster strapped to her. In Harry's opinion, she was the definition of 'cool'.

Now whenever they went out together Harry was disguised, as someone spotted "Harry Bloody Potter!" and they had been swarmed in Honeydukes. After that experience, Tonks usually changed his appearance with -glamour's- and some Transfiguration.

He really hoped the kids at school wouldn't be like that as well. Tonks had been forced to make a big distraction before she could grab him and get away. The next day there'd been a report about his mysterious return and "secret bodyguard". Tonks at least had found that amusing.

Elsewhere in Britain, Albus Dumbledore dismissed the sighting as rumour-mongering on the Prophet's part. There had been over two dozen sightings since "the return" and all had been false.

"I'm ready, let's go," he said, bouncing on his heels as he spoke.

"Right then, mate. Grab on and we'll be off." With that Harry wrapped his arms around his cousin's waist and felt her left hand grip him firmly by the shoulder.

Suddenly he was re-acquainted with the feeling of being forced both ways through a tube. Harry was grateful he'd decided not to eat beforehand. Harry gasped and clutched all the tighter to Tonks as she wobbled slightly upon their re-entrance into the normal world.

"You ok? Everything still attached?" Tonks asked, worry creeping into her voice as she patted his shoulder.

"Yep," he said breathlessly. "Everything's still there, I'm glad I didn't eat though, that was worse than Floo travel!"

"Hah, I know how you feel! We'll grab something to drink and wait a bit before eating. You should try the biscuits and shortbreads, good for settling the tummy," she said, helping him to his feet.

When they left the forest Harry saw an enormous clearing. Tables of food and drink spread out in a massive circle, and within the tables he saw six massive hoops on opposite sides of a field.

Only a foot or so away from the hoops were bleachers that seemed to rise up into the sky and in between them were large spacious grass areas he guessed were used by people unwilling to climb all those steps.

Tonks had told him that surrounding the hoops was an invisible barrier, to keep the spectators out and bludgers in.

Everywhere around him, Harry could see Wizards and Witches clapping each other on the backs and carting around children, all excited for the spectacle to come. He couldn't wait.

"You want to sit on the bleachers or at ground level?" Tonks asked as they stepped away from one of the snack tables. From the steadily increasing stream of people Harry doubted there'd be much left, so he was glad Tonks had thought to bring a container so they could stock up on snacks.

"I'm not really bothered, where do you want to sit?" Harry asked.

* * *

Tonks hadn't mentioned that the main reason she had come in her youth had been for the purpose of stocking up on food rather than for Quidditch.

'_I doubt Harry would like be crowded too much, so ground level is probably for the best.'_

"How about we stay on the ground, then? The bleachers get pretty crowded. If you have trouble seeing I can put you on my shoulders or conjure up a stool. Sound good?" Harry nodded emphatically, and with that they set off.

The two cousins found a shady spot near one of the bleachers. Tonks had conjured up a stool for Harry to stand on so he was on eye level with her while they watched the two teams warm up.

"Should be a pretty good match. It's the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes Versus, The Department of Magical Transportation. Neither side will get queasy and from what the program says, lots of the players were on school teams."

"The Department for Catastrophes was Minister Fudge's old department" Tonks chuckled, before she noticed Harry's raised eyebrows and opted to explain.

"Being a politician is all about pretending everything's fine and making sure everything looks like it's running smoothly. He was in charge of the Catastrophes Department before, so he's got lots of practice at faking." She smirked.

* * *

"Over yonder" Tonks pointed over to a small sea of red-headed people: a large family Harry guessed. "That's the Weasley clan. I showed you the twins when we visited _Zonko's._ Oh and over there, that's Rufus Scrimgeour, he's head of the Auror Department. I think that's his godson, think he's in Gryffindor, ooh and there is Davis and that's his little sister Tracey."

Harry was once again struck with that odd feeling of '_belonging'_, something he'd never felt before. This was a place he belonged, where he wasn't locked away like some shameful secret. He loved this magical world.

He loved it even more having just seen a rogue Bludger rebound off an invisible force field and back into players' practice.

"Hey, Tonks how do you know so much about all these people?" It seemed a little odd. From everything Tonks had told him, she didn't seem the type to gossip and there was no one to tell her about these people, especially the adults, the way a parent might their own child.

"Hmm, oh well, it's two reasons really. I like to keep an eye on things in the Ministry seeing as I hope to work there and all, plus I have to go there to check up on legal matters, redo my registry and such," she said.

"And two…" She smirked. "I like impersonating people, means you need a good eye for detail, so I pay attention. Never know when you'll need to be Minister of Magic for a day." They broke into laughter, only to quiet themselves like the rest of the crowd as a short chubby man with white hair and a green bowler hat stepped out onto the field.

Rather than increase the stool's height anymore, Tonks just slipped her arms under his and held him up.

"Over there is the minister, looks like he came to support his old department," Tonks whispered in an exaggerated way. The talking and cheering steadily died down at the minister's beckoning.

Without further ado, the minister spoke, his voice booming throughout the field as his wand tip was pointed at his throat. Harry would have been surprised by this, had Tonks not warned him earlier about the Sonorus charm.

"Thank you all for coming! I hope we can all enjoy a fine game from our dear departments. I am Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge." He waited a moment for the polite applause to subside.

"Now, let me introduce our fine teams. Today we are joined by the _Floo Jockey's_ from The Department of Magical Transportation, led by Jane Maria Noricum. Versus the _Cyclones_ led by Roberts Newbern, of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes!" The minister practically cheered.

Harry heard Tonks mutter under her breath, "I know what team he's betting on".

"Now let the game begin!" With that the Minister pointed his wand at the Trunk in front of him and Harry watched as it suddenly burst open, freeing the balls as they were magically hurled into the air with reckless abandon. The two teams formations broke and the players shot off after their desired balls.

"They used to give people Bludger bats way back when, but they started putting up force fields when some old lady's hat got destroyed. Or was it her? I can never remember." Tonks noted as the Cyclones scored a goal much to the crowd's delight.

Harry was bursting with excitement and nerves as two chasers began squabbling over the Quaffle completely unaware a Bludger was catapulting towards them at wicked speeds; luckily they noticed in time, both dropping the Quaffle and dodging the offending ball.

The game continued in this manner and Harry watched, completely pulled into the excitement as he cheered and groaned along with the crowd. He wasn't supporting any team, it was all just so amazing, and he'd spotted the snitch three times, though just barely.

"There it is, Macmillan's spotted the Snitch and now Honsy's on his tail… and Honsy's got it, this match ends with 90 points to 170. The Floo Jockey's win!" Despite his disappointment the Minister did a good job of sounding excited. Maybe even he had gotten wrapped up in the energy of the game.

As the Jockeys were about their victory, the team leaders met in the middle to shake hands.

Harry jumped off the summoned stool that was vanished with a wave of Tonks's wand. Harry took her hand and they set off hoping to avoid the dispersing and extremely excited crowd. Harry was positively abuzz with excitement himself; he couldn't stop jumping, which made their attempts to subtly slip away from a large crowd more difficult.

"So, cousin of mine, what'd you think of your very first Quidditch match?" asked Tonks, while Harry readjusted his fringe to cover his scar.

"It was fantastic! I really wish I could play. It looked amazing. They were all so fast and it was just so brilliant. Thanks for bringing me!"

"Not a problem. I always come and you're excellent company. Still, we'd best leave. I think I see someone passing out Firewhiskey so everyone with kids will be clearing off before someone makes a scene." She was a little sad to see disappointment flicker across Harry's face for a moment, but it was washed away quickly as she magically snatched some cookies from the table and passed them to Harry.

"Oh bugger, I think that's Lucius Malfoy. Come on. It'd just be painfully awkward if we somehow bumped into each other." Harry nodded, sliding the remaining cookies into the snack box. They gripped each other and took off.

"Well, this should be interesting," murmured a man from the shadows, his right eye spinning wildly.

* * *

**_End chapter eight_**

_Author Notes_

Sorry this took longer than I originally said it would, after re reading this chapter I re-edited then sent it to my pre-reader, then edited it again. I wasn't entirely pleased, I felt the start was too much telling and not enough showing.

I'd like to thank Chandagnac for pre reading and helping me edit this and all my other chapters, I also heartily recommend his fics.

Oh and naturally here comes Mad Eye! Anyone who guessed it was him before I said so deserves cookies.

I felt the Minister would show up for something like this as the Wizarding community is relatively small, though he also turned up specifically for his own team.

This chapter doesn't move the plot along much; it's mostly there to show us how things are developing. Next time we get lots of Mad eye a history of the Black/Malfoy family, more Tonks history and some tender moments.

I hope everyone who read this has enjoyed the latest instalment; I wish I could promise the next chapter soon but with University and other projects as well as my muse running off, it may take a while for me to finish writing one of the later chapter and edit the next one.

Besides that, if anyone would like to leave a review I would appreciate it greatly! Thanks again to everyone who has read and reviewed so far.


	9. Chapter 9

**_Chapter Nine_**

**_That which is Moody_**

They arrived back at Tonks's flat with a pop and immediately toppled over onto the floor. Apart from that, it was a perfect landing. Just as they had picked themselves up, Tonks stiffened and pulled out her wand. She beckoned for Harry to take cover behind her.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing, I hope," she whispered. She mumbled something and waved her wand over his head. He felt like she had cracked an egg over him. "Disillusionment charm, makes you invisible, now shh."

Tonks began edging forwards. She seemed to blur and then vanish.

'Oh, what if someone's broken in?' Harry wondered. If that had happened he'd have to do something. What if Tonks got hurt? What if they broke in to get at him?'

Then she reappeared and said, "Harry, come on out. There's someone I'd like you to meet. Really Mad Eye, perhaps you could visit without breaking in? Most other people seem to manage it, you know."

"Glad you noticed. Although, if I'd wanted to attack you, I would have done it while you were talking. Bad form, girl… not a bad Disillusionment though," said a deep, rough voice. A grizzled, peg-legged stranger hove into view.

"Whatever you say," replied Tonks.

"Harry, this gentleman is Alastor Moody. He's a very successful Auror from back in the war and I asked him here to try and add on a few extra layers of security."

Harry was somewhat terrified of the burly, scarred man whose right eye couldn't seem to stop whirling around uncontrollably.

"Potter! Good to meet you, bit surprised by the circumstances," said Mr Moody, glancing over at Tonks accusingly. It didn't seem that she was at all embarrassed by it. She patted Harry on the shoulder reassuringly.

"Um, nice to meet you as well sir," Harry said awkwardly. He got a grunt and a nod from the grizzled "gentlemen".

"Anyway," Tonks said glibly, "Moody is here because I was worried after we were swarmed in the shop, so I figured it would be better if we got some improvements to security. And, well, no one knows more about paranoid security than Moody" she smirked at him.

"As I understand it, he was safe where he was until you went and made a mess of everything as is your wont to do," growled Moody. Harry opened his mouth to protest, but Tonks was quicker.

"Those people were wretches of the worst sort. You know the type I'm talking about- you're half the reason I was never stuck with people like that. Besides, how good could the security be if I can just wander off with the protectee? And you say I have bad form?" said Tonks with a self-satisfied smirk. "Anyway, you're not going to grass me up, right?"

Harry was exceedingly relieved by Mr Moody's reply: "Me? Who would I tell? _The Daily Prophet?_ Hah! They all call me mad. Why should I tell them anything? You made a good point: if youof all people can walk off with the bloody '_Boy Who Lived_' then I figure wherever he was wasn't safe enough."

"Wonderful!" said Tonks. "So you're okay with checking my security and the like? We've got to stay safe during the summer hols, right?"

"As if I don't have better things to do with my time! Yes, fine. What we have here is pretty decent. You've even worked the boy into a few of the Charms around this place. I'll get to work and see what else I can do. In the meantime, stay out of my way!" He said, shaking his cane at the two of them, like some grouchy old man, which Harry supposed he sort of was.

Somehow, despite grumbling, Mr Moody had still managed to shout. Harry wasn't sure he liked the man, but Tonks did. So he'd be nice, though he hated being called "boy".

"Well, Harry, we are obviously unneeded here. Shall we grab some tea?" said Tonks. Harry nodded and they moved towards the kitchen. However, before they got there, Tonks spun around and blocked a glob of light that Moody had flung at her, almost being flung onto her back.

"Tonks!" cried Harry. But no, she was fine, standing there in front of him, wand at the ready and looking completely at ease.

"Don't fling spells at me when Harry's about. You'll upset him, all right, Alastor?" She spoke in a hard tone he hadn't heard from her before. It wasn't the tone she'd used on the Dursleys, but there was a steely quality to it.

Moody seemingly ignored them and pocketed his wand continuing to examine the wall. "Bloody kids! No sense of what's appropriate," he said, shaking his head.

"Don't worry, Harry. I've told you I want to be an Auror. Moody likes to make sure I'm vigilant. I told you he used to prank my things as well, didn't I?"

Harry nodded. He did not like Mr Moody.

"One time, I received a poor grade in a Charms test so when I got back here for the summer holidays I found that everything had been charmed. There were floating chairs and dancing tables- it was madness! Like some bloody Muggle film thing. Needless to say, once I'd dealt with it, I understood the importance of countercharms," said Tonks, fondly reminiscing.

"Why does he know about your marks?" Harry asked curiously as she heated up two mugs of hot water by breathing on them.

"Well, Alastor sort of took care of me for a little while after..." She waved her hand and made an unhappy face. Harry guessed it was after the deaths of her parents. "Anyway there wasn't anyone left on my dad's side of the family to look after me so he set me up here, sort of. Good thing he did, as well. Who knows what would have happened if he hadn't?"

Mr Moody went up in Harry's estimation. '_So that's why she likes him_,' he realised.

"He figured that if he was gonna help me out I should pay him back by doing well at school. I've been trying my best. I don't want to disappoint him, after all."

"Yeah that makes sense. I don't want to disappoint you either" Harry said impulsively. He saw Tonks start for a moment before smiling at him.

"You could never let me down" she said, affectionately ruffling his hair. There was the sound of Moody coughing exaggeratedly in the other room.

With that they sat down at the kitchen table, Harry asked the question that had been on the tip of his tongue since they left: "Tonks, what did you mean when you said 'it would be awkward'?"

Tonks tensed. Her mouth was moving but no words came out. Her hair altered its length, one side growing shorter and the other becoming more jagged, a clear sign that she was uneasy. Before Harry could apologise, she said, "Right, this will need a lot of background information. I kind of wish I'd got you a history book when we were shopping. Ah well."

Tonks took a few sips of her tea and seemed to contemplate how to explain things to him. Moody ambled around the house grunting and muttering and waving his wand at things.

"All right," she said finally, "Harry, do you know what gender bias and racism are?" He had not expected that question but he could sort of guess the answers.

"Um, well Uncle Vernon always complained about other people from other places taking jobs from hard working Brits, but I never put any stock in what he says. But it means hating someone cos they're from somewhere else, doesn't it?"

"That's right Harry," Tonks said approvingly, "And you're right not to put stock in it, as well! Anyway, gender bias is thinking someone is inferior because they might be a man or far more often a women. It's as bad as thinking someone is inferior because they come from another country. With me so far?"

Harry nodded.

"In the magical world there isn't really a gender bias or anything like that, at least not nearly as much as in the non-magical world. And it's not really racism as we have a fair bit of tourism from other countries and things, they just happen to be countries very similar to us in terms of magic." Seeing his confusion she elaborated: "I said we're always suspicious of other magical folk, didn't I?"

Harry nodded remembering the conversation about carpets.

"Well it's not because they look different or even because of their culture… for the most part. The real issue is if they use similar or different magic to us, not really because we think our way is better, but because if they don't use our way they could learn how to use our type of magic if they say came over here and bought some books."

"So people can do magic without wands in other countries?" he figured that made sense

"Correct, point is if we visit them we could steal the secrets of their magic system and if they visit here they could steal ours. The different wizarding cultures tend to be very protective of their secrets. That's why there's such a strong regulation on who can travel where." She stopped and thought for a moment before she spoke again. "Some countries use magic the same way we do so we exchange with each other pretty freely: Ireland, France, Australia and the United States of America, for example. They might have slightly different spells or education systems but there are enough similarities that no one is scared of someone figuring out how to make wands or steal spells."

"But there are other magic systems around the world. I've heard of people channelling magic through arcane rituals or magic crystals or by offering prayers to various gods, spirits and demons and I remember something about some people using magic by humming with things like wands but not wands. People from Japan can actually channel magic through special hand signals, no wands to speak of."

Before Harry could interject, Tonks held up a quelling hand. "Now, I explained that so you understood it's not prejudice in the traditional sense but security that stops all magical communities from interacting. They're all as suspicious of us as we are of them."

Harry nodded in understanding though he'd have to file that away to talk about later, maybe when he was older.

"One thing you need to remember, Harry, is that for all the amazing things we can do with magic, people are still going to be people: cruel people, lazy people, happy people, selfless people, hateful people. There is real prejudice in the magical world. The worst is the prejudice against non-humans such as Goblins, House Elves, Merpeople, Centaurs, Werewolves and even Metamorphmagi. Though, seeing as I'm the only one in Britain, most people don't have a problem with me taking their jobs or anything like that, heh." She laughed.

Harry was seething inside. "I can't believe people would have a problem with you or Goblins or anyone like that. It's stupid!"

"Too true, Harry, but sadly I'm not done," said Tonks, giving him a proud smile.

"You see, just like Muggles hated us and tried to burn us and so on, we in turn began to hate them. So when Hogwarts was founded and our Government got more organised there was a lot of debate about the problems we faced at the time. The end result was that people wondered if letting Muggleborns like your Mum or my Dad into the magical world was safe. They feared that they might reveal where we were hiding and we'd have to flee or kill them all. Not a pleasant thought."

Harry nodded grimly.

"There were a lot of complex issues at the time involving other countries as well. At the time, the fear wasn't entirely unfounded. We were risking our secrecy by contacting Muggleborns and hoping their families didn't freak out. From that, the idea developed that only people born from wizard parents had a right to learn magic and that somehow coming from non-magical blood tainted the Witch or Wizard. Stupid idea, but people took to it. From there the concept of Blood Purity was born, and our society became divided into five categories: Magical creature, Muggle, Muggleborn, Half-blood and Pureblood. A Pureblood is someone who has magical parents and grandparents and so on, going back at least four generation, but basically it means that if you know how closely related to a Muggle you are, you're too closely related. That's what I was talking about when I said old families."

Harry was listening intently. Hadn't Hagrid said his Dad was from an old family?

"Anyway, a lot of Purebloods hate Muggleborns and don't want them around despite the fact that they make up a sizeable portion of our society. Not all Purebloods are like that though. Some just stay that way because that's how they chose to marry or because they married for money's sake, that sort of thing. Understand?"

"Yeah, there are people who think they're better than others because they have Wizarding great-great-grandparents, but not all of them are like that, right?"

"That sums it up. Anyway, if a Pureblood marries a Muggleborn the way my mum did my dad or your father married your mother, the child is called a half-blood. There isn't much prejudice against us, but some snooty Purebloods will look down their noses at us anyway. Well, if they're rich they might."

"Anyway, I told you my mum came from an old family. In this case, she came from the Black family. They go back hundreds of years and say they're pure all the way, course that's partly because anyone who tries to go against the family belief system is kicked out of the family immediately, or- a few centuries ago- would have been killed." She saw that Harry looked aghast. "Yeah, they were pretty sick like that."

"So, my mum went against it when she was young and got booted out, married my dad and here I am. Problem is, I said we are related through the Blacks." Tonks said, stressing the -we- and giving him a meaningful look.

Harry nodded. Did this mean he had family besides Tonks?

"Well, the main reason behind the last war was the Death Eaters trying to take over. They all believed in Blood Supremacy and wanted to get rid of Muggleborns and what they called blood traitors, namely Purebloods who married Muggleborns. End result, Harry, in the war everyone who left in the Black family sided with the Death Eaters and got killed or thrown in prison." Tonks's eyes became very hard and her hair grew straight and black.

Her face twisted in a grimace. "Anyway, my mother had two sisters, one of whom ended up in prison for the horrid things she did as a Death Eater…" Tonks fell silent for a moment. She took a few deep breaths before continuing: "The other is Narcissa Malfoy, she sends me Christmas cards, but that's about it. She believes in Pureblood Supremacy but never signed up with the Death Eaters. The problem is that she married one. You see, not all Death Eaters were just killers. Some were politicians like Narcissa's husband, Lucius Malfoy. When he got caught as a Death Eater he said he was under a mind control curse called Imperius and because he was so wealthy he was let off. You see the issue, Harry? He served the one who killed your parents and tried to kill you and he worked with the people who destroyed my parents."

Harry felt sad and furious all at the same time. It wasn't a new feeling, really. "So, because he was rich he just got away with it? That's so unfair! It's wrong, is what it is!"

Tonks smiled and ruffled his hair. "Yeah, this sort of thing happens in the Muggle world as well. Rich people can threaten, bribe and blackmail their way out of justice and then hide from it. That's one of the reasons I want to be an Auror, so I can try to change the system from within. But you see why I didn't want you to meet him? Someone like him- well, I don't know- maybe he'd just try to charm your pants off because you're famous or maybe he'd try to kill you. Hell, maybe he was telling the truth about being mind-controlled, though I doubt it."

In the next room, Moody coughed loudly. "Course he was lying. I fought him. No one under the Imperius fights like that. The bastard just got away with it by lying and exploiting legal loop holes. Huh, vigilantism, irresponsible and cruel use of magic on a suspect, my ass..." With that, he kicked open the door and entered the bathroom.

"I see. Well, that makes sense," said Harry. "Not much point in asking cousin Narcissa to come visit then, is there? I don't really want to know someone who would think less of my mum or your dad because of their families."

Tonks looked uncomfortable. "Yeah, I'm so sorry Harry."

"Why does she send you cards though?" he asked, remembering her mentioning them earlier.

Tonks looked down into her empty tea cup guiltily, before steeling herself and looking Harry straight in the eye. "I think that… my mum told me once that even though her sisters are no longer considered her family she still loved them like sisters. I think Aunt Narcissa is a little like that. Or maybe she feels guilty because she and mum could never settle things and be a family again because of what happened. I'm not sure. Maybe it's guilt or something. I was lonely and didn't really have any family, when I first got the Christmas card I was so happy I didn't care who it was from." A mischievous smile appeared on Tonks' face. "Besides, it must rankle her husband that on some level she actually acknowledges me- a half-blood shape shifter-, as family. So I sent one back and we just sort of kept at it. Honestly, I've never even met her."

Harry got up and hugged Tonks, much to her surprise. He could understand that kind of loneliness, he thought as she returned the hug.

"Not to interrupt this touching scene, but I need to look at the kitchen!"

"Dammit, Moody we were having a family moment here!" said Tonks.

"Whatever! Just shift your arse!"

And so Harry and Tonks got out of the way while Moody got on with his task.

* * *

**_Chapter Nine End_**

_Author Notes_

I know it's late I'm so sorry this chapter took so long, I had to do some re-writes and I am swamped with university and other projects. I can't promise any of the following chapter will be faster, but I intend to finish Harry's first year at Hogwarts this year! Though that's hardly the most reassuring thing I could have said, sorry I am trying to increase my writing time/speed.

Still I hope everyone who read this chapter enjoyed it! I would like to thank Chandagnac for editing my work, which is no easy task; I also highly recommend his works. I would also like to thank everyone who has read, faved, followed and reviewed my story so far I really appreciate it, more than I can say.

I know it took a while but I didn't want their relationship to be rushed, but this chapter was more or less the last of the setup. Next time we shall be meeting some of the extended cast and leaving the apartment and when chapter 13 comes out Harry and Tonks will be on their way to Hogwarts.


	10. Chapter 10

**_Chapter Ten _**

**_Bones and Pets_**

* * *

One week, one more week until he went to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Harry would be lying if he said he wasn't a little nervous. Excited, yes- nervous, even more so- still, Tonks would be there and he was secretly hoping to be sorted into Hufflepuff, the same House she belonged too.

But even with her there and all the help she had provided him, he was a little concerned about how other kids would act around him. A small part of his brain was considering asking Tonks to change his appearance permanently so he wouldn't be swarmed by people thanks to the "_Boy Who Lived_" thing. But even though he wanted to be a Hufflepuff he still wanted to be brave so he suppressed the urge to hide because of his shyness.

Besides, it wouldn't have worked anyway.

Of course there was another reason why he wasn't looking forward to school as much as he had when at the Dursleys. Well, two reasons actually, the first of which was that despite being a magical school it still, from what Tonks had told him, involved a lot of essays and the like, much like a normal school. Meaning it would not be as amazing as he had imagined, though he chastised himself for thinking it would all be a big game.

The other reason was even simpler. He wouldn't be able to spend as much time around his favourite cousin as before. She was a seventh year and studying for her NEWTs and had friends of her own. Upon hearing this concern, she had promised him that she would make it a point to seek him out every day, barring the nights before a test. That had helped, but still, he wasn't looking forward to not being able to spend as much time with her as he had before school started.

This left him wondering if he would be able to get along with children his own age. Tonks seemed to treat him much like… not an adult but not a child either. An equal, he supposed. Did that mean he was too different from other children? He certainly couldn't see himself laughing at any of the things Dudley and his friends had done. Even without the bullying they were usually rather gross and uninteresting. Hopefully children at a magical school would have a different sense of humour.

Of course he wouldn't have been thinking about this too much if not for everything that had happened earlier that morning. That event had also led his cousin to, possibly for the first time, seem both nervous and excited.

* * *

A day had passed since Alastor Moody's visit. It had taken almost two hours before the grizzled Auror was even remotely satisfied that Tonks and Harry would be safe, and even then it was only because he had been called to work that he ever left. Not that Harry was unappreciative, he simply found the man hard to deal with. His critical attitude and half muttered comments didn't help.

Before Mr Moody left, Tonks had taken him aside proclaiming that she had a gift for him. The gift turned out to be an old copy of a newspaper called the Quibbler; Tonks said that some of their stories and Mr Moody's theories matched up, much to his chagrin.

It was at about nine thirty and after a late breakfast that Harry realised that Hedwig, who they had been letting out to fly in the neighbourhood for exercise and occasionally using to send letters to Tonk's friends for practice, was running low on food.

Seeing as there was still a week until any food would be provided by Hogwarts, he and Tonks set out to the pet store with Hedwig in tow. Tonks said that Owls liked to pick their own food anyway.

When they arrived at Eylops Owl Emporium, there were almost no other people in the store except for a girl with long red hair tied back in a plait and a tall grey haired women off somewhere near the back looking over some owl cages.

Tonks spoke, "Well I suppose you just let her loose and she'll sample till she finds something she likes, ya?"

Harry did just that, he followed Hedwig over to the food section while Tonks followed at a more sedate pace to avoid tripping.

After nipping her head into several different pots, Hedwig seemed to settle on a flavour. She actually picked up one bag in her mouth and two more in her claws before returning and depositing them into Tonks' hands and landing on Harry's shoulder.

Smirking, Tonks turned to the counter. "Well guess I'll be off then. You two look around a bit, seems a bit of a lines developed."

She was right. Since they'd arrived, at least three more people had gotten in line. Realising that it might take a while for Tonks to get to the front of the queue, Harry wandered over to the Owls' section of the store.

Apparently he'd caught the interest of the tall red headed girl who had been looking at the owls.

She looked him over curiously for a moment, her eyes lingering on Hedwig in particular, before smiling confidently, drawing herself up and saying, "Hello I'm Susan Bones, guessing you'll be attending Hogwarts this year as well?" She reached out her hand for him to shake. He responded and shook her hand politely marvelling a little at how strong her grip was.

He nodded putting his hand back at his side. "Yeah my cousin and I were picking up some food for Hedwig," he replied, motioning to the owl that was currently preening on his shoulder.

Nodding excitedly, Susan replied, "My Aunt took the day off to get me an owl." Susan seemed rather impressed by Hedwig. "She's lovely, did you get her recently?" she asked.

He nodded, happy to be talking to someone about something simple. "Yes, on my birthday. Hagrid bought her for me when we came here for school supplies."

Susan seemed a little confused by that response. Quirking her head to the side she said, "I thought Professor McGonagall was meant to show Muggleborn students around? Who's Hagrid? I think I know that name."

Harry responded a little more quickly than necessary, honestly hoping he could figure out a way to avoid mentioning who he was. "Well, Hagrid's the Keeper of the Keys of Hogwarts and was a friend of my parents so he asked to show me around instead of the Professor." Sounded truthful enough, heck maybe it was even true.

She looked at him sympathetically and responded, "Ah, my parents died in the war. That's why my aunt raised me. I guess you were in a similar situation?"

Thanks to his own experiences with his aunt, Harry replied a little more easily than he might have otherwise. "Mm, I ended up living with my… non-magical, aunt and uncle, but… we figured that it would be good for me to spend sometime in the magical world. I really didn't know much about it until recently. It's been great, though!'

She nodded happily and spoke again. "I was thinking of getting a long-eared owl myself. See here?" she said, pointing to a large brown and grey owl she had been inspecting earlier." "Tall, strong, with fierce big eyes. If I put a monocle on her she'd look just like my aunt, but don't tell her I said that," she said stifling a small laugh.

They began avidly discussing some of the different owls and other pets and were moving onto family. Susan was evidently proud of her aunt and seemed to look up to her greatly. Harry avoided discussing the Dursleys. In his mind they didn't even qualify as family. Staying with Tonks had taught him what proper family was and the Dursleys did not fit the bill. Of course, he kept this to himself and just discussed his cousin, who Susan admitted sounded cool.

* * *

Amelia Bones had survived the destruction of her entire family except her niece. She had survived a war against one of the greatest and most terrible wizards in recent memory, though war was something of a strong term. Voldemort and his followers were terrorists, not an army. She had survived being partnered with Alastor Moody throughout most of her working career and had even helped him develop his "eye". There was a reason she often seemed to know more than she was saying and much of it had to do with her magical monocle, not that anyone else needed to know. Not only that, but she had managed to survive and succeed in the Ministry of Magic while being fair, honest and law-abiding with little need to compromise, something she would always take pride in.

Despite this and because of all her various successes, accomplishments and hardships, Amelia was widely considered one of the most skilled and powerful people in Britain. She was a little paranoid, not like old Alastor, but when someone walked into the store under some - 'obvious' to her and her Monocle - Glamours and Transfigurations, her first impulse was to move and stun them. It was an impulse she quickly clamped down on, she had guessed that maybe the boy was a pickpocket, but no Disillusionment or Notice Me Not charms were on him or his older companion while they were shopping for owl treats.

So she opted to ignore it. Most likely the teenage witch had been practicing some minor human transfiguration on her brother. Amelia had ignored them both until the teenage witch moved to the line and the boy began talking to Susan.

It was at this point that she bothered to look past the Transfiguration and Glamours and saw Harry Potter, lightning bolt scar and all, chatting happily about owls to her niece. If that didn't beat all she didn't know what did!

She listened in closely and subtly and heard the topic of families come up. Apparently Potter had been staying with non-magical relatives and didn't know much about the magical world. More recently, he had recently been staying with his cousin, Tonks, of whom he had many nice things to say. Madam Bones recognised the name, but for a moment she couldn't recall where from. Then she remembered: Alastor had mentioned her recently. _Interesting..._

Seeing the young witch, whom she assumed to be Miss Tonks, walking over to them, Amelia chose to intervene and see what happened.

* * *

Harry looked up to see a tall woman approaching him. She was square-faced and powerfully-built, with close-cropped grey hair. Guessing by what Susan had told him, Harry presumed that this was Susan's Aunt Amelia.

Aunt Amelia almost immediately stuck her hand out for Harry and he politely took it, hoping to come up with a fake name seeing as Susan had yet to ask his. Before he could think up a decent lie, not that he'd ever been good at those, or before Tonks could arrive and pull him out of the fire, Amelia Bones said something that shocked him rigid: "Mr Potter, a pleasure to make your acquaintance, I am Amelia Bones." She spoke in a hushed manner, with a deep baritone voice.

Harry was stunned. Susan was stunned. Tonks had just finished paying and turned to walk over to Harry. When she heard what Amelia Bones said she was close to spluttering in shock.

Susan was the first to speak and rather loudly at that: "You're Harry–" She was cut off by her aunt clicking her fingers once. Looking slightly miffed at being interrupted, she repeated herself quietly: "You're Harry Potter? Really? Why didn't you say so?" Her tone rose slightly in excitement near the end. Harry was embarrassed and wished Tonks would say something to draw attention from him.

Luckily Madam Bones intervened. "I would suppose it was to avoid someone loudly announcing his presence and drawing the entire street inside. You did read about that sighting in Honeydukes? An awkward business, that. I suppose that's the reason for the Glamours and physical changes?"

"Yes, but how did…" Tonks' voice drifted away for a moment. She looked at the taller women seriously for a second. "That monocle, ma'am? It wouldn't happen to act like Alastor Moody's eye, would it?"

Susan gasped, looking highly amused. Madam Bones smirked and said, "Common sense and a keen eye can often be mistaken for magic. I didn't get to where I am today by relying on toys and trinkets." Amusement still tinged her voice as she reached and took Tonks hand in a firm shake.

"Of course, I wouldn't mean to imply... I mean it's a pleasure to meet you! I'm Nymphadora Tonks. I've been looking after my cousin Harry here for the duration of the summer. And yes, we did want to avoid something of a scandal."

Smiling warmly as if laughing at some silent joke, Madam Bones looked over at Susan, considering. "Is that the owl you want?" she asked, looking over at the grey long-eared Owl. It puffed itself up proudly, happy to be the centre of attention. Susan nodded mutely. It seemed that she was still stunned by everything that had happened.

"Very well then, you two stay here and talk. I'll go and buy him for you. Miss Tonks, a word if you please?" The long eared owl flew from its perch and onto Madam Bone's shoulder.

"Sure, I mean, of course Madam," Tonks nodded. She followed Mrs Bones to the checkout. They talked quietly to one another, so Harry didn't hear what they were talking about.

Seeing as they were busy and Harry himself was feeling a little out of sorts, he turned back to Susan whose brain seemed to have caught up to where they were. Naturally, they continued the conversation they'd been having before.

* * *

Tonks was nervous. Here she was in a store with the Head of the DMLE, Madam Amelia Bones, one of the greatest and most powerful people in Britain, both politically and magically. Tonks would only admit this to herself, but Madam Bones was something of a role model for her.

"I was thinking that Harry must not get out much if he always has to sneak out under spells to protect his identity. And I imagine you must be quite busy keeping a child entertained for such a long time," Madam Bones said as they took a place in line.

"Well, a little bit, but honesty Harry's good company, very mature for his age." Tonks said. She had an inkling of where this was going.

"Susan is also quite mature for her age. Sadly, thanks to my busy schedule she has had little chance to socialise with other children her own age outside of official functions. The two of them seem to be getting along quite well."

Madam Bones paid for the owl and began to walk slowly back to where Harry and Susan were standing a little way away. Susan was making big, sweeping gestures with her arms, describing something to Harry.

"Yeah, Harry could do with meeting someone his own age. I've been a little worried how things were going to go once school starts. I'll look out for him no matter what, but it would be nice if he could meet someone his own age,' said Tonks as casually as she could manage. Impressed or not, she wasn't going to show it.

"How do you think young Harry would like it if he came to lunch tomorrow? With you accompanying him, of course?" said Madam Bones.

"Well… I'd have to ask Harry, but they seem to be getting along fine."

"Excellent."

* * *

That was how Harry found himself sitting in the room of one of Tonks' other friends, a "Pureblood" named Jason. Harry thought he was very serious and rather dull. Though surprisingly he was able to keep up with a completely hectic Tonks as she rushed around his large house, both excited and nervous, having received an owl earlier that evening confirming the date, time and location and the fact it was an informal lunch.

"What does informal mean to a Department Head?" Tonks had asked. So now they were asking for dining tips and etiquette from a bored young man who wearing a long-suffering expression on his face and sighing whenever Tonks asked him a question. Questions such as: "Do you think these dress robes would be OK? They're not too formal, are they? Oh no! Are they too informal?!' 'Help me out here you gloomy-'

Still, it sounded like fun visiting a friend and having lunch and all.

'I'd better bring Exploding Snap, in case she wants to play,' Harry thought.

* * *

**_End Chapter Ten_**

_Author Notes_

I am so sorry this chapter has taken so long, my writing has been hitting stumbling block after block and real life responsibilities have been getting in the way; the update rate should increase for a little while after this, as a good few of the following chapter are written.

I really hope everyone who read this chapter has enjoyed it; I would like to thank Chandagnac for being my editor, he really saved me on this one! And if anyone has questions, comments critiques or anything else to say please feel free to leave a comment, I'm always happy to talk.

I also feel it important to note I have gone back and done a few small edits to previous chapters, including fixing the title on chapter three; but far more importantly, a missing scene has once again been found and slipped into chapter 6/interlude. I would love to hear some people's thoughts on it.

I chose Susan for a few reasons but mostly because I this she has a lot of potential as a character and I have seen her written very well in another fic (only as a secondary character but still) and I liked the idea of being able to play around with more characters some of whom got very little attention in canon. I will not be making Ron or Hermione into negative versions of themselves they simply didn't meet Harry, I would intend for them both to end up as acquaintances of his.

Madame Bones is a character I really like and I honestly wish more had been done with her in the series but I feel there's a good deal to work with and I honestly just find her very cool. I made Amelia Moody's former partner, but where he stayed at the lower levels of the office due to his attitude/beliefs Amelia kept rising, the two of them stay in contact and get along quite well.

Oh and Jason is an OC, he's a background character at best, I just wanted to flesh out the years and Tonks's friends a little bit, (I personally think that friendships outside of Houses happen primarily in later years, so Tonks's friends are sort of an example of that, but again they don't play a huge role except to be friends and fill out the world/years a bit.

I've decided to view this story of Harry's first year as an arc style of story. The first arc is Harry's summer with Tonks and end with them arriving at school and the sorting. The second arc would be the year itself.

I'd like to thank everyone who has read, fave, followed or commented on this fic, it has been wonderfully encouraging and really helped make this an educational and fun experience.


	11. Chapter 11

**_Chapter Eleven_**

**_Lunch with Bones_**

It was Eleven thirty, which was the time Madam Bones had said would be convenient, giving the children half an hour to socialise before lunch. They were currently standing in front of the Floo connection in Tonks apartment building.

Tonks's nerves seemed to have calmed since visiting her friend, who had spent almost an hour with them the day previous advising them on what they had to wear and what would be appropriate. It was meant to be a casual affair but it was still a lunch with one of the most important people in magical Britain. They'd then spent some time fussing over basic etiquette for the meal and introductions. Luckily, Madam Bones was not known for her obsession with old manners and customs.

Harry was wearing a light brown shirt with three buttons but no collar. It was casual but could pass for polite and formal. He wore black trousers and a nice cloak draped over his shoulders. Traditionally, adults were expected to wear robes, but children had fewer expectations placed on them outside formal events.

Tonks wore a grey shirt and black pants topped off with a long black robe. Apparently it was supposed to be worn with the buttons done unevenly but this was after all a polite occasion. Tonks's face was friendly and heart shaped: the face that Harry had gotten used to. On this occasion, she had shoulder-length silver hair. It was clear that she had made an effort. Even her boots were shiny, for once.

Looking over at him with an encouraging smile, Tonks said, "So… ready to go?"

He nodded in reply, stepping into the Floo.

* * *

The Bones family house was nice. Tonks had known the address and had actually taken the Knightbus to scout out the area and think about whom she was dealing with. Moody would be proud, though he had been less than thrilled by her popping in and leaving questions on his desk. It was an old three-storey house, tastefully done up to modern standards. She had been told that it had powerful protections on it, but these were not protections to make a person anonymous. That was not surprising as nobody would want one of the most important people in the country being able to easily vanish.

Upon arriving through the Floo, Tonks made a point of reaching to steady Harry but found he was getting used to Floo travel and he didn't need the assistance. '_They grow up so fast, HA_!'

In the foyer they were greeted by Madam Bones and her niece, Susan. "Welcome to our home!" said Madam Bones.

Susan's greeting was far more enthusiastic. She immediately clasped her hands around Harry's and said excitedly, "Hey Harry, I named my owl! I went with your idea of looking for historic people and chose 'Artemisia' – she was the first women ever to be Minister of magic, though that was over three hundred years ago!"

"Sounds like a great name," Harry replied. He seemed to have gotten over his nerves now that he was here with his friend – a good thing too, in Tonks opinion – he had been nervous about all this, maybe not as demonstrative as she had, but still nervous.

"Well," Madam Bones began. "I'm sure you and Susan will have plenty to do here. Just make sure you're at the dining table by twelve thirty when lunch is served. In the meantime I will give Miss Tonks a tour."

"Come on, Harry!' said Susan, showing him upstairs to her room.

And with that Tonks was left alone with one of the most powerful people in Britain.

"Shall we be off? I'm sure they have plenty to do," Madam Bones said.

* * *

Galloping up the steps to keep up with Susan, Harry felt it would be proper to pay the house a compliment. "This is a lovely house," he said. He couldn't think of anything better. Still, he saw Susan beam at him so apparently it had been a good choice.

"Thanks, this was actually my grandparents before they... well, they were killed in the last war. The same thing happened to my parents, so Auntie and I ended up with all the houses." She spoke in a tone of strained cheerfulness. Harry could hear the underlying sadness in her voice, and it made him feel like a twit.

He tried to apologise: "Sorry, I didn't mean to dredge anything up."

Shaking her head and leading him to her room, she replied, "It's fine. Really, I'd much rather have my family than some old houses, but Auntie's always been kind to me so long as I don't misbehave too much." She sounded amused as she finished speaking, sticking her tongue out the side of her mouth as they finally arrived at her door.

"I know my parents had a little cottage that Auntie and I visit a few time a year, and Auntie has a small house somewhere in the middle of London near the Ministry, though it's really just a big office to her. Anyway, come on I've got this great Hogwarts express model that really moves!" She sounded so enthusiastic about it. And who could blame her? It looked amazing!

* * *

After they set off for a tour around the Bones family home, Tonks spied a tapestry hanging over the fireplace. It was large and slightly tattered, a royal blue triangle with a circle inside and an arrow at the centre. '_I know that from somewhere,_' Tonks thought.

She was a little surprised that, although she was definitely curious about Harry, Madam Bones seemed just as curious about Tonks herself. She was still hoping to find a way to drop her career ambitions into the conversation. Maybe if her grades came up?

She had to respect the Bones family. They had been duellists, hit wizards and aurors for generations. Even those that never sought a career in law enforcement tended to be skilled combatants. Their ancestral home of five generations was tastefully decorated with memorabilia, trophies and examples of their accomplishments.

"So... may I ask about that tapestry? The symbol looked familiar," she said.

Madam Bones chuckled dryly. "It should. Does Binns never teach anyone about the history of recent wars and Dark Wizards?"

Shaking her head, Tonks began rummaging in her mind for whose symbol it might have been. Binns really only ever talked about giants and goblins and he even managed to make those fantastic creatures seem deathly boring.

"Well, before the last war there was a dark Wizard named Gellert Grindelwald. Despite having been thrown out of Durmstrang he managed to become very powerful. He was extremely charismatic and he gathered a vast army with the intention of subjugating the none magical world. "

Tonks almost clicked her fingers. That was where she'd seen it: in one of her mother's books on the history of the Dark. And, of course, Grindelwald was mentioned on Dumbledore's chocolate frog card.

"He proclaimed himself Gellert the indomitable, Gellert the undefeatable and so on. My parents took offence at that, having recently taken the world by storm as world champion duellists." Madam Bones's voice was edged with pride. "While my parents did not defeat him themselves, they battled him on numerous occasions and defeated one of his favourite servants, taking the tapestry as a prize."

"They sound truly impressive. I've read about Gellert and his followers in some history books. He was worse, in some ways, at least in terms of body count, than… well... You Know Who," Tonks finished lamely. Having heard Harry and Moody use the name without fear, she felt a tad embarrassed.

"I suppose I know who, though I would rather have a name." Madam Bones left the statement hanging for a moment, looking her over as if measuring her up to some unforseen standard.

"Voldemort," she replied, seeing the older women smile and nod her head. The tour continued until they returned to the bottom floor. Twenty minutes had passed and there was only one room left to see. The conversation turned to careers.

"Interesting. From what I have heard from Moody, you may very well be a candidate for aurorhood, maybe even the advanced studies program if your grades keep up. It's been sometime since someone has made it into the auror training program straight out of school, mostly thanks to the defence teachers. Did you have trouble studying before the trace on your wand broke?" Madam Bones asked, opening the door to a large room with very thick stone walls and a cobblestone floor. It was almost entirely empty, but Tonks noticed various runes carved into the floor, walls and ceiling; the magic in the air was so thick she could taste it.

"Thank you, Miss Amelia, and no. I made it a point to study hard while I was at school, and Alastor was willing to occasionally have practice days for me, though only if my grades and behaviour were just right." Miss Amelia looked amused at that. Seeing as the two had been partners for a time Tonks could easily guess why.

"Well then, I am most curious about your skills then, and my family felt there were few better ways to get acquainted with someone than with a practice duel. What do you say?"

Standing to attention, Tonks replied, "If you're sure, ma'am, it would be a privilege." She bowed in the proper gracious manner. Madam Bones was after all the more experienced one.

"Excellent. Silent casting for the moment. No need to mind the walls, but don't use anything too destructive – no explosives – we can continue talking while we begin and increase the pace to our comfort." She sounded rather pleased, and honestly so was Tonks.

Nodding, Tonks said, "That sounds fair ma'am. Should I mind the door?" She drew her wand and stepped into the centre of the room.

"No, I can make the door seal itself off behind the wall, if you are comfortable with that?" said Madam Bones, taking her own place at the centre of the room.

"I suppose, that sounds fair." Of course, one reason why Tonks felt secure enough to let Madam Bones seal the door was that before they had come to the House of Bones, Moody had come by and given Tonks and Harry a portkey each, just in case Madam Bones was not really Madam Bones. Seeing, hearing and more importantly feeling the magic around her, Tonks could tell the door was sealed behind the wall itself. Runes lit up the walls more strongly than before.

They bowed and took their places. Tonks assumed a duelling stance that took advantage of left arm movements and minimised any chance of clumsiness. In a serious but still relaxed tone, Madam Bones said, "Why don't you show me what you are capable of?"

And so they began.

* * *

Harry found that Susan was very good company. They were currently embroiled in a game of Wizards' Chess. The board and pieces were heirlooms, apparently. More importantly, Harry was losing.

"Rook to… E4" Harry announced after some deliberation. Susan's reaction was a sharp intake of breath, which meant that it was probably a good move.

While playing the game, they were talking in between turns, usually to cover up the yelling and bickering of the pieces.

"Bishop to B2," Susan announced confidently as her Bishop moved into place, forcing his king further backwards.

Just as her turn began, Harry had a thought he couldn't keep silent: "So, did you see the Quidditch match a few days back?" He'd seen pictures of the Holyhead Harpies covering the walls and he'd been meaning to broach the subject for a while.

Susan looked up at him excitedly, "Yes, of course! Weren't the Beaters amazing!"

* * *

"Vervix," Tonks murmured, trying to keep her voice quiet to make it slightly more difficult for her opponent to determine what she was doing. The disarming charm wavered and then flung itself to the side only to be blocked by a silent Protego.

Tonks froze the advancing flames and hurled a freezing charm in Madam Bones' direction. It was blocked immediately but she managed to force her opponent to react. Considering the small smirk on Madame Bones face, her efforts were either entertainingly impressive or amusingly pathetic.

Madam Bones apparently had the same sort of taste in "friendly practice duels" as Mad Eye Moody: which was to say, dangerous. Most practice duels involved either weakened offensive spells or disarming charms, but here, using anything but her best was going to end with ignoble defeat. And when she thought about who she was duelling Tonks knew she could probably fling about Confringos and still expect them to be blocked with ease.

'_A Wind Blasting Charm,_' Tonks realised. She flung herself so she faced dead centre of the blast, and was a little pleased to see shock on Madam Bone's face. "Displodo!" An explosion of magical energy tore through the centre of the attack scattering its power all over the room. Tonks immediately followed with a "Circumaggero!"

Madam Bones didn't miss a beat if she had been thrown by Tonks using such a spell. "Pressura," she said. There wasn't even an accompanying wand movement.

Tonks winced and waited for an explosion that never came. Instead, Tonks heard a crunching sound from the wall behind her opponent. '_Damn, never would have thought of a crushing curse as a counter._'

Tonks's next spell was already in motion when Madam Bones signalled for a pause and with an effort she managed to clamp down on the raging energies she had been preparing to unleash.

Madam Bones waited a moment and bowed. Realising the duel was at a close, Tonks followed suit.

Smiling with a surprising amount of warmth, the older women spoke: "Excellent performance. You certainly do show promise. I doubt most adults would have an arsenal half as large as yours, and I suppose Moody explains to you never to show off everything unless it's life or death?" Judging by her tone, Madam Bones already knew, even before Tonks inclined her head to confirm it.

"Well, I'd say as long as you pass your defence exams this year, you're a shoo-in. Now, I imagine those two children of ours have managed to work up quite an appetite. Time for lunch, I think." Without waiting for a response, Madam Bones set off. The door reappeared and opened for them automatically.

Despite her elation, Tonks knew that Madame Bones had meant something by that remark. She could only begin to guess what the elder women's mind had been able to determine from their conversation.

These thoughts were sorted to the back of her mind as the House elf was sent to collect the kid. She could hear them barrelling down the stair giggling like mad.

"Good thing I told him about House elves before coming," thought Tonks. Of course, now she was going to have to introduce him to the House elves working at Hogwarts. Harry had been highly curious and had seemed offended at the idea of House elves not getting paid for their work.

* * *

Madam Bones led Tonks, Harry and Susan to a small and well-lit dining nook seemingly intended for the purpose of more intimate discussions and meals, as opposed to the large dining table Madam Bones had shown Tonks on the tour.

"Please, have a seat," said Madam Bones pleasantly. They took their seats. Harry and Susan sat across from one another and Madam Bones sat opposite Tonks. With a scintillating magical sparkle, food appeared on the table.

Smiling at the beautiful sight and heavenly smell of food, Tonks's mind drifted slightly. '_Ah, just like Hogwarts,_' she thought, before refocusing on the here and now.

The meal was delicious: bratwurst steak with mashed potatoes and gravy, as well as tea and apple juice to drink. Hoping to appear mature, Tonks went for the tea, feeling a little childish regardless.

They are in silence for several minutes. Harry and Susan gobbled their food until they received a reprimand from the house elf who insisted that food should be enjoyed at a slow pace, "to avoid choking the young mistress and master."

Chuckling, Miss Bones said, "So Harry, how have you been finding the magical world, so far?" She took up another piece of sausage as she finished her question.

Swallowing, Harry looked over at Madam Bones and smiled, something he was finally getting used to. "It's been excellent: the Quidditch! The spells! The Three Broomsticks! I know it must seem normal to you but it's been a little overwhelming at times. I can hardly wait to get to Hogwarts. I've only seen it at a distance so far." Worried he was behaving somewhat foolishly he clamped down on his speech and went back to his meal.

"You've been to the Three Broomsticks: lucky!' said Susan. 'Aunt Amelia wouldn't let me go in when we visited Hogsmeade. Though it was night time then and just after Quidditch season, so I can see why.'

"It's an excellent place. Madam Rosmerta is really friendly, though I've heard about places like that getting a bit wild after festival and big games."

"One of the toughest times for the Ministry is when big events come about, especially for the street patrollers, magical mishap menders, and the Obliviators. We all love showing off and making a show." Miss Bones sounded amused but it was mingled with mild disapproval.

"I used to really look forward to Defence against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts, but I've heard they don't get very good professors for that position anymore, cos it's cursed."

"Because," Madam Bones stressed, kindly.

"Oh, sorry Auntie," Susan said without much conviction.

Madam Bones looked over at Tonks with a level gaze, "Obviously, I haven't attended Hogwarts in years, but I do know this year's professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts taught Muggle Studies for three years and recently returned from a trip around the world for training purposes. Do you have any measure of Professor Quirrell, Miss Tonks?"

"Well, Professor Quirrell's always been a fairly quiet but decent professor. A friend of mine took his class and said he was very competent. Coming from Jason, that means a lot. He can't be much worse than Tobins; it turned out he hadn't actually graduated. His credentials were all falsified."

"Ah, I heard about that. It even made the Daily Prophet. Dumbledore and Professor Snape filled in for the remainder of the year if I recall." Tonks response was to shudder and nod.

'For someone who doesn't attend Miss Bones seemed to know an awful lot about Hogwarts,' Harry thought. Then what Tonks had actually said about professor Quirrell struck him, and he realised that the Professor Quirrell Tonks spoke of seemed quite different from the one he had been introduced to. Still, Harry knew it was probably better to let the subject of Professor Quirrell alone for the moment. There was no reason to be rude about the man behind his back. Harry had always hated the way other students at school and his neighbours in Privet Drive had said things thinking he couldn't hear them, or just not caring.

"Flying should be good though. Madam Hooch is the instructor and she's worked as a private coach. I've heard even some of the professionals have hired her," Susan said, changing the subject.

* * *

It was eight PM and Harry was drifting off to sleep, still reminiscing about visiting his first friend his own age. Harry enjoyed the experience of having dinner with the Bones family. It was very different from eating with the Dursleys. Whereas the Dursleys resented him and made snide comments about how "scruffy" and "idle" and "unwanted" he was, Susan and Madam Bones seemed to like him and they treated him like an equal, like he was one of them.

"You enjoy today Harry?" Tonks asked from across the room and behind the curtain. Apparently she noticed his still-awake state.  
Tiredly, Harry said, "It's been great, thank you."

* * *

**_End Chapter_**

_Author's Notes_

Thanks for reading everyone I hope you've all enjoyed this installment; I'm so sorry it's taken so long to get this chapter out, writing has been hard for me recently and I do not want to put out anything less than my best work. Real life is making writing this difficult, but I I intend to get Harry to school and sorted within two/three months; after that i'm honestly not sure, sorry. If I start writing another fic I'll make sure to finish it before posting.

Before anything else I would like to thank Chandagnac for being an awesome beta reader and editor, nothing of this story would have ever been published if not for his help.

I'd like to thank everyone who has viewed, faved and followed this story, I never imagined when I started out i'd get over 100 reviews, 300 hundred follow and 200 hundred faves; I owe it all to you, so thank you everyone, you're the best readers I could have asked for!

_Headcanon:_

Now onto some other matters such as the content of this chapter, I hope I did a decent job fleshing out the Bones family as well as Susan an Amelia. Now I myself tend to be somewhat against people dropping the name Voldemort in Harry Potter fanfiction, as it does sort of go against the established norm. In the same vein, I do think Amelia may well be someone who would be willing to say his name, if she thinks he's dead/crippled. I personally go with the idea that Voldemort jinxed his name in the last war as well and that's why people fear saying it, otherwise it sounds like it would be hard to develop an aversion to a name. The idea is that after he "died" the jinx broke, but people either fearing he'll comeback or just because they fear the memory of him refuse to say it. Amelia thinks he's either dead or crippled in either case he'd be no threat to her as far as she's concerned; if/when he comes back she'd start using alternate names as well.

One thing to note is that while Voldemort and Dumbledore are the most power spell casters in Britain; I do no think they are unbeatable by others, I tend to put, Amelia, Rufus, Moody (in his prime), Bellatrix and both Crouches on a level of skill and power high enough that they could challenge and conceivable beat the other two wizards, it just wouldn't be likely.

As for how this works given Voldemort killed Amelia with seeming ease, I look at it like this. He's a very powerful wizard, but one of the things that makes him evermore dangerous is his mastery over the killing curse, he's a psychopath/sociopath with no empathy so he can fling that curse around with ease, this makes fighting him extremely difficult to near impossible. But it doesn't work with Dumbledore, because I think that Voldemort is still afraid of him and when he fights him as much as he wants to some part of him is still too scared of Dumbeledore for him to be able to bring out the killing curse. He does not on the other hand posses such fear of the other powerful wizards and witches.

Additionally, I tend to think he became more fearless when he returned with his new body because he was certain even if he did get defeated he'd be able to comeback, so he essentially had nothing to fear, so before when the other wizards and witches like the Potters or the Bones's were able to duel him and he could not bring out the killing curse as easily he was no longer held back by a fear of dying, making him all the more dangerous.

Sorry for the deluge of head canon there; that's all just personal theory/head canon on my part regardless.


	12. Chapter 12

**_Chapter Twelve_**

**_Cakes, Books and things to come_**

It was early in the morning and Tonks had just arrived at a bakery in London. The owners lived above the shop. Tonks could still remember her first visit.

Entering the bakery, Tonks saw the familiar face of Chell Robins, her roommate at Hogwarts for the past six years. Upon seeing her, Chell immediately dropped the bread rolls she was carrying and flung herself at Tonks.

"Tonks, you're here! I can't believe it! You almost never visit. Where have you been this summer?" was the younger women's enthusiastic greeting. Chell was shorter than Tonks, slightly plump, and her blond hair was brushed over to one side.

Awkwardly patting her friend on the back and trying desperately to suck oxygen into her lungs, Tonks gasped: "Chell, I need a favour. And... uh, as hard as it is for you, I need you to keep a secret for me."

* * *

Harry was sitting at the kitchen table practicing his magic, using a training game Tonks had invented. It was a reasonably amusing game, he thought, and a good challenge. Tonks had explained that because of a wizard's connection to their wand they could call it to them if they lost or dropped it. She felt this was a useful skill, "particularly if you ever want to look into Duelling one day". He'd asked if she thought he was going to duel much and her response had been "not likely, you're a first year after all, but it's useful to know how to call your wand."

The game (or training exercise) involved making the wand jump, lift or bounce and other such things and practising until you could summon it into your hands. After that, he and Tonks had come up with various challenges: making his wand stand perfectly straight or rapidly spin around on the table, for example. He was still having trouble with this. The other advantage of all this practice was that it would help get his natural magic under control, or so Tonks had said.

"It's part of the reason – I think – why your hair won't stay down. Happens to lots of kids who don't grow up around magic. They just start letting it out. I'll bet you're going to be good at lightning elemental spells when you finally get to them in third year," she'd said. That had led to a fairly long discussion about elemental spells and how most people had natural affinities towards different kinds of magic.

Still, he was practicing getting it to move. Tonks had told him it took a few weeks to get it working properly, but that didn't mean he wouldn't try.

It was then that the security "page" lit up. Essentially, it was a map of Tonks's flat covered in very faintly glowing runes. The map reacted to certain "tripped" wards, runes, jinxes and various other protections Mr Moody and Tonks had set up.

"Someone's at the door," Tonks said, getting up from where she had been sitting reading a book with a title Harry couldn't even pronounce let alone read.

Tonks waved her wand and muttered various security spells. Harry personally felt all this was a little overboard, but it was nice to have someone be so protective of him. A moment later, the number four on Tonks door glowed and a knocking sound resounded from the door.

Tonks was smiling brilliantly, he noticed, as she looked over to him. "Harry, you are about to meet a good friend of mine, so keep watch. She can be a bit funny, but she's a good sort."

Harry nodded, this would be the first time he could meet someone who was close to Tonks, other than Mr Moody. In the back of his head he wondered if he had been keeping Tonks from her friends and suddenly felt a twinge of guilt about that.

Tonks waved her wand again. The door glowed and swung open. Harry could still not see who was there. Tonks had a mock serious expression on her face as she pointed her wand through the open door.

"Identify yourself! Friend or foe?" she boomed, in an half serious voice. Her reward was a loud, snorty laugh.

"Tonks!" said a very chirpy girl's voice. Harry guessed she was the same age as his cousin, or thereabouts. "Let down the stairs! I came all this way to see you, after all."

Tonks leaned back and smirked at Harry. "I don't know, could be a death eater in disguise. I'll have to ask some security questions, won't?"

"Ask me no questions and I'll tell you no lies," said the girl, amusement evident in her voice.

"I must ask you these questions three." Tonks' voice suddenly sounded high-pitched and wheezy. "What is your name?"

"Chell, my favourite colour is not pink but blue and my quest is to enter your apartment. Really, Tonks that movie is… ubiquitous. I bet even Old Pureblood's families know about it."

"Ooh, look at you and those big words. That can't be my Chell, can it?" said Tonks, sounding terribly amused.

"And after I come all this way and even bring presents for you!" said Chell indignantly.

"Ooh, you know the password! Come on up." Tonks took a step back and waved her wand again. "Steps descend."

With barely a moment's notice, a girl burst into the room, carrying a large brown bag under her arm. Her hair was the colour of straw, neatly brushed so that it was swept over to one side and dangled over her shoulder. She then placed the bag on the ground, panted for a moment then and flung herself at Tonk. They embraced each other in a crushing hug.

Tonks looked over her friend for a moment and then said, "So, where are the others? Don't get me wrong, it's nice to have you visit, but you usually bring the whole troop by. Are they all too busy so you have to be in my company alone?" Tonks said. Despite the fact that her words seemed a bit mean, her tone was still quite jovial.

Chell offered a mock pout in response. "Why must you always act as though you're my bronze medal?"

"Now, now, we both know my company is the best of company, just surprised is all." Tonks replied.

"Hmm, the others might have come, but Jason has some sort of function and Tobias and his parents went on holiday. They'll be back in a day or two."

Turning around, Chell held a large leather-bound book to her chest. A massive smile spread across her face, as though she was holding the greatest thing ever.

Tonks seemed torn between amusement and disappointment. "A book, Chell?"

She smiled even wider now. "Not just any book. This is Professor McGonagall's advanced theory of Transfiguration essay! It only just got published, and it cost a pretty Galleon, but I got one for everyone!"

Tonks looked amazed for a moment, but then she tried to hide it, feigning nonchalance. "Yeah... that must have been hard to come by, but why would I need it?" Belying her words Tonk had taken the book and was currently thumbing through it vigorously.

"Oh you always complain. You might never love this stuff the way I do, but you're smart enough to understand it. Besides you said advanced magical knowledge was necessary for being an Auror."

"True, but usually that's in defence rather than this. Still, I see what you mean. Thanks, Chell," Tonks said with a sincere smile.

Chell drew herself up to her full height and took a deep breath. She turned to Harry, a large smile stretching over her face. "And you must be Tonks's cousin Harry. Lovely to meet you, I'm Chell," she said, offering her hand for him to shake which Harry promptly did.

"Um, Harry Potter, nice to meet you as well," Harry replied. He didn't see the usual shock register on the older girls face. In fact, she seemed to brighten.

"So, this is the cousin who your letters never reached. I'm glad you two have finally tracked each other down."

Harry felt somehow guilty about that even though it wasn't his fault. And he still remembered how angry Tonks had been when he offhandedly mentioned never having much in the way of birthdays. '_Good thing I didn't mention the stocking full of coal at Christmas because – really – why upset her anymore_?'

"Well," said Tonks, "seeing as you two have been acquainted, this is probably the best time for it. Harry, I'm going out for the morning and maybe a bit of the afternoon, mostly just bank stuff, but it'll take longer than normal."

'_So that's why Tonk's friend turned up so suddenly_,' Harry thought, seeing Chell trying to suppress an amused chuckle. Harry felt rather self-conscious. Tonks disappearing wasn't that uncommon, but the longest she usually left for was about twenty minutes. Harry got the impression there was a silent communication going on between the two girls, but of course he had no idea what they were thinking.

Well, he couldn't rightfully know what was going on in his cousin's life at all times. Chances were there was a good reason he wasn't told.

'That fine with you, Harry?" Tonks asked. Her tone sounded rather guilty. Harry made it a point to brighten up.

"That's fine, she's your friend so she must be nice, and I promise to behave," he said politely. Chell still looked amused while Tonks let out a small sigh and then smiled at him.

She ruffled his eternally messy hair. "Wouldn't expect any less, but feel free to make a mess. Just don't break anything, alright?"

Giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder, Tonks summoned her bag and put on her coat. She gave Harry a wink and Apparated away with a wave.

* * *

Tonks Disapparated outside a large underground building: St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. There was a churning feeling in her stomach and she had to fight to keep it down She walked into the building and to the end of the reception desk's waiting line.

'I hate needing to ask for this every bloody time!' Unbeknownst to Tonks, her hair had changed from pink to drab grey, limp straggly locks hanging unevenly on her head. A number of strands simply fell out, so she left a trail of dull, lifeless hairs behind her.

After minutes of waiting it was her turn, Tonks swallowed and looked over to the woman behind the desk and spoke, her voice firmer than she'd expected: "I'm Nymphadora Tonks. I'm here to visit my father. I need permission to visit the fourth floor, room five."

"Fine. Hold out your hand," the greeter said in a tone of voice that made it clear that she was utterly indifferent to what Tonks wanted.

One moment later, Tonks felt a small cut as a small cut appeared in her hand. The witch held her wand above Tonk's hand performing the blood identity ritual.

"Yes, you are his child. You are not allowed to enter the sealed room. You may speak with him but only if accompanied by a senior staff member." Before Tonks could even vocalise her anger she was cut off.

"This is non-negotiable. If you cause trouble you will lose visitation rights." Biting her bottom lip, Tonks hand ever-so-slightly twitched, almost summoning her wand as her robe fluttered in a magically created breeze.

But rationality forced her to simply nod and move to the stairs. She gripped the visitor's badge so tightly that she could feel its edges biting into her flesh.

* * *

Harry was saved from needing to try and play host when Chell began barraging him with questions about his summer and personal life. Partway through the conversation she seemed to notice his discomfort and opted to sit them both down with tea and cookies she had brought.

"So, any idea where Tonks is going?' Chell asked conversationally.

"Um, no not really, you were there when she told me her plan, don't you know?" Harry had assumed that Tonk had explained everything to her friend at least.

Shaking her head, the young women's face seemed more serious and melancholy than before. "No I think I know what she's doing but she won't talk to me about it."

"Always happens though. Near the end of summer she'll go off for a day and afterwards she's… different. Tonks is fun and exciting most of the time, sometimes too much so. But at other times I've seen her get very sad and angry... and I don't know why."

Seeing Harry's discomfort, Chell adopted a conciliatory tone of voice. "It's nothing against any of us, or her, she just doesn't like talking about it."

Harry supposed it might have something to do with her parents, or maybe money, those were the only two things he could think of. But before he could think too deeply on such things, Chell brought his attention to the large brown bag on the table.

Smiling warmly again, she said, "So I figure if she has a good chance of coming back sad, we should set something nice up for her. Tell me Harry, do you know anything about baking?"

* * *

Tonks stood in front of her father's room, looking through a small panel. Seeing her own father like this... 'It's not even a room, it's a bloody cage!' she thought.

He sat on the bed, back rigid, his face seemingly alert, but his eyes just stared at the wall uncomprehendingly. It was always unpleasant being here, but knowing some Mediwitch was standing right next to her only made it worse.

Finally, Tonks bit the proverbial Bludger and spoke to the Witch. "He looks thin. Has he been eating properly?"

The Mediwitch looked her over with sympathy before responding. "He was. In fact, for a time, there seemed to be some improvement. But he had another one of his attacks earlier this month. No one was hurt, but since then getting him to eat has been difficult. We're going to be adding a new supplement to his meals to help, so things should get better in that regard."

Nodding and turning away, Tonks bit her lip and tried to think of what she could do. Talking to her father tended to have mixed results ranging from no response to upsetting him enough that he had to be put to sleep.

'I need to try. He deserves to know.' With her decision made, Tonks turned to the Mediwitch and said, "I'm going to place a small silencing charm around us so I can speak privately. Is that all right?"

The older women's lips thinned, but she gave a small nod of assent.

With care, Tonks slowly laid every privacy charm she knew around herself and the door. Still no reaction from her father.

Drawing in a deep breath, she steeled herself for his reaction. Stepping forward, she rested her head on the door. She was at the perfect height to see and be seen through the small window.

"Hey Dad…"

* * *

**_End Chapter Twelve_**

_Author Notes_

Hello, I hope everyone enjoyed this new chapter. As usual I would like to thank Chandaganc for being a fantastic Beta reader and editor. I would also like to thanks everyone whose faved, followed and commented; I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter and the hints we received for Tonks's background and family.

Now as for Chell, and any other of Tonks's friends I've mentioned, I have never intended for them to play huge roles; they're just Tonks's friends and probably third tier characters in terms of presence or direct influence on the story. I rather like an idea that a different HP fics brought up, namely that the next generations of children was damaged in the war with Voldemort reducing the number of kids attending Hogwarts or existing in general. I feel this makes sense given the Death Eater tendency to kill entire families. That's why Tonks and Chell shared a room alone, there weren't any other kids.


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